As reported by ENR at the time, while the Depression deepened in the early 1930s, none of the initiatives taken by President Herbert Hoover or Congress did much to help, and some, such as the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, which led to higher prices, were counterproductive.

Construction leaders across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas are optimistic about regional construction activity moving into the second half of 2018, despite new May figures from the Associated General Contractors of America showing the nationwide unemployment rate in construction has increased.