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Masks on the Hill On Wednesday, Brian Monahan, the capitol’s attending physician, sent a memo to House staff announcing “for all House Office Buildings, the Hall of the House, and House Committee Meetings, wearing of a well-fitted, medical grade, filtration face mask is required when an individual is in an interior space and other individuals…

CDC Revised Mask Recommendations In a reversal of guidance released just two months ago, the CDC announced that people fully vaccinated against Covid-19 ought to wear masks in public indoor settings in areas with widespread transmission. The agency’s new recommendation comes amid the increasing number of breakthrough infections due to the rapidly spreading Delta variant,…

This Week in Congress The House voted to address visas for Afghan allies, “forever chemicals” in drinking water, and consumer protection authority for the Federal Trade Commission.  In the Senate, Senators voted on a bipartisan infrastructure proposal, while Democrats tried to determine their plan to advance the other half of President Biden’s economic agenda. In…

ASA and AGC Submit DOD Comments on Past Performance of Subcontractors and Joint Venture Partners On Monday, July 19, 2021, ASA coauthored with the AGC that agree in part and disagrees in part with the Proposed Rule’s amendment to the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) to implement section 823 of the National Defense Authorization…

ASA Shares Suggestions and Proposals for the FY22 NDAA On Monday, July 19, 2021, ASA, along with construction industry trade and professional organizations representing tens of thousands of firms and individuals engaged in architecture, engineering, surveying and mapping, prime contracting, subcontracting, specialty trade contracting, supplying, construction and program management and surety bond production, shared our…

  SLDF in Action in Oklahoma: ASA Files to Defend Subcontractor in Lien Waiver Case The American Subcontractors Association produced an application to file an amicus curiae brief in the Oklahoma Supreme Court this week, asserting that the outcome of the case at hand could have significant adverse consequences for subcontractors and suppliers. The case,…

Senate Advances Bipartisan Infrastructure Package On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Schumer held a preliminary floor vote (60 votes are required) to limit debate on whether to proceed to a legislative vehicle that would be used to carry the bipartisan infrastructure bill.  Additionally, he set a Wednesday deadline for Senate Democrats to reach agreement on a…

House Completes FY22 Appropriation Bills The House has completed full committee action on all 12 FY22 appropriations bills.  The next phase will begin with plans to consider a seven-bill maxibus. The bills to be considered include:  Labor-HHS; Agriculture-FDA; Energy and Water; Financial Services; Interior-Environment; Military Construction-VA; and Transportation-HUD. The other five bills could also be…

Senate Debates the FY22 NDAA The Senate Armed Services Committee considered their FY22 defense authorization this week, with several contentious topics to be discussed.  Those include a potential, major reworking of the military code of justice, proposals to thwart extremism in the ranks, and arguments over the number of jets and ships the Pentagon plans…

This Week in Congress This week, members of Congress returned to Washington, D.C. to focus on both a bipartisan infrastructure package and a larger, partisan reconciliation spending bill.  Congress begins a likely busy midsummer legislative push, with action expected on a host of priorities like the evolving infrastructure package, appropriations bills and a budget resolution.…