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ASA Supports Bonding in USDA Broadband Opportunities ASA, along with the National Association of Surety Board Producers (NASBP) and the Construction Industry Procurement Coalition (CIPC), sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Small recognizing the need for significant investment in the nation’s infrastructure, which includes the…

ASA’s Suggestions to the FY22 NDAA ASA, along with the Construction Industry Procurement Coalition (CIPC), sent a letter to the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)’s Conferees requesting their suggestions and proposals for the FY22 Act.  Per their letter, “they requested that Department of Defense (DOD) submit a report on the effects of the Cybersecurity…

This Week in Congress The House returned this week voting on a slate of non-controversial bills, along with attempting to finalize negotiations on the reconciliation package and clearing the way for a final House passage on the bipartisan infrastructure bill.  Meanwhile, the Senate voted on President Biden’s nominees.  The Senate, which already voted on the…

ASA Requests Delay of OSHA’s Heat Injury and Illness Prevention Proposed Rule Last week, OSHA published the Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM).  OSHA is initiating rulemaking to protect indoor and outdoor workers from hazardous heat and is interested in obtaining additional information about…

ASA Supports H.R. 5735 State, Local, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act ASA Supports H.R. 5735 State, Local, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act sponsored by Reps. Johnson (R-SD) and Bourdeaux (D-GA). This legislation is companion to S. 3011, which passed the Senate on unanimous consent on…

Vaccine Mandate Update – November 2, 2021 This article is from our friends at SESCO Management Consultants, ASA’s Human Resource partner.  For more information about SESCO and all of the incredible benefits available through your ASA membership, please click here.   Private Employers with 100 or More Employees As we previously reported, President Biden has…

OSHA to Announce COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard Rulemaking Per Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, OSHA is expected to announce their rule very soon. This rule will likely require all employers with 100+ employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative…

18 States File Three Separate Lawsuits Against the Federal COVID-19 Employee Vaccine Mandate Eighteen states filed three separate lawsuits Friday to stop President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for federal contractors, arguing that the requirement violates federal law.  Attorneys general from Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming…

White House Updates Federal Vaccine Requirements for Contractors On Tuesday, November 2, 2021, the White House Safe Federal Workforce Task Force updated their FAQs for contractors: https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/faq/contractors/. Per the FAQs: It now includes additions to address vaccination and safety protocols, scope and applicability of the guidelines, and compliance. The updated guidance for contractors adds a…

Update: Budget Reconciliation Bill Negotiators are making progress on the last few issues before reaching a final agreement on the package, but a handful of centrist members may prevent a House vote this week. Yesterday in a letter to Speaker Pelosi, five moderate members of the Blue Dog Coalition (co-chairs Case (HI) and Murphy (FL)…