MISSIONWASHINGTON
No other organization in Washington, D.C. is doing more or delivering as many wins, as AGC of America’s advocacy team. We have an amazing team working on your behalf. They are knowledgeable and credible. They know the key players in Washington. And they know how to get things done, whether it is shaping legislation, educating and arguing with regulatory agencies, or crafting successful legal challenges when that is required.
Ever wonder what it’s like to testify with AGC? Check out this behind-the-scenes peek!
PROTECTING CONTRACTORS FROM UNWARRANTED "FOREVER CHEMICALS" LIABILITIES
AGC of America has led the charge in fighting for and warning the industry about new Environmental Protection Agency regulations regarding PFAS chemicals, otherwise known as “Forever Chemicals.” The liability language in these rules is both retroactive and broad. The rules expose countless contractors to penalties and lawsuits for work performed on sites containing these chemicals, even if the work was fully permitted and appropriate at the time. AGC is promoting a legislative fix to limit contractor liability, educating Congress and the EPA of the unfairness of the rules and litigating to block enforcement of the regulation. We are also providing resources to members about the new rules and how to mitigate their risks.
GETTING THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL SIGNED INTO LAW
AGC of America worked to secure passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill in 2025. This measure protects the industry from potential tax hikes, includes billions for new infrastructure construction projects and provides much-needed support for construction workforce development. Specifically, the bill made permanent the 20 percent Qualified Business Income deduction, protecting pass-through firms from an average 20 percent tax increase. It also permanently increased the estate tax exemption to $15 million. And it restored full expensing for new and used construction equipment.
The measure also provided $46 billion for construction of new border security infrastructure. And it expanded Pell Grant eligibility to now cover short-term, high-quality workforce training programs in fields like construction.
BLOCKING THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION'S GREENHOUSE GAS RULE
We led the effort to push back against a Federal Highway Administration rule that would have diverted federal highway funds to non-construction uses like procuring public transit buses. We did this by fighting the rule in Congress, within the Biden administration and in the courts. We secured legal victories in Texas and Kentucky striking down the rule. And thanks to our advocacy efforts with Congress and the Trump administration, the agency ultimately rescinded the Biden-era rule.
PERMIT STREAMLINING
AGC of America is playing a key role in shaping legislation and executive orders designed to streamline the federal environmental review process. This process often contributes to years of delays in greenlighting many vital infrastructure and economic development projects. AGC testified on Capitol Hill about the need for streamlining and our team is working closely with the Trump administration. We have helped get two streamlining measures passed in the House and helped inform President Trump’s executive orders to ensure construction projects can break ground.
SECURING CLARITY ON WATER PERMITS
Thanks to successful advocacy and litigation strategies including a construction-specific legal brief we submitted in support of a Supreme Court case, AGC of America has shaped water permitting for years to come. AGC helped shield contractors from unfair Clean Water Act permit liability and kept the pressure on the Environmental Protection Agency to clarify its Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule, which governs where federal water permits are required. AGC advocacy in the courts led to a 27-state pause of the Biden WOTUS rule that had expanded the need for such permits. AGC also testified in Congress about the need to more narrowly define what is considered a WOTUS and supported the PERMIT Act, which passed the House. AGC action with the federal agencies provided member feedback to the Trump Administration on regulatory solutions for WOTUS as well as state conditions on those permits.
PROTECTING THE RIGHT TO VOLUNTARILY CHOOSE A PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT
AGC of America has long held that contractors should have the right to voluntarily enter into a Project Labor Agreement and have urged federal agencies to protect that right. But we have long-opposed federal attempts to impose one-sided project labor agreements as a condition or preference for performing federal work. To that end, we developed an innovative bid protest strategy that has led to successful litigation by AGC members in cases where use of a PLA was not feasible and where the courts determined the federal government lacks the authority to impose such agreements.
SECURING ADDITIONAL KEY LEGAL VICTORIES
Contractors deserve a clear pathway to compliance. AGC of America also helped secure additional significant legal victories on behalf of the industry. We secured a ruling that protects contractors from liability as long as they comply with their National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (stormwater) runoff permits. And contractors should not be forced to expose themselves to cyber threats. AGC supported a legal challenge designed to protect small contractors from burdensome reporting requirements that mandate disclosure of personal identification documents. As a result of the challenge, the Treasury Department agreed not to impose penalties and plans to instead limit the rule to foreign entities.
KEEPING MEMBERS UP TO SPEED ON TARIFFS AND THEIR IMPACT
AGC launched a new Tariff Resource Center for members in 2025 to help them track a flurry of new and proposed tariffs and understand what they might mean for the cost of key construction materials. We also included resources and information on how to handle price escalation where possible. And we held several webinars during the year to keep members informed of the latest on tariffs and help them separate fact from noise. At the same time, AGC of America has been urging the Trump administration to quickly resolve a host of trade disputes to provide the industry with greater certainty about tariff rates and materials costs.
RAISING AND EFFECTIVELY USING CONSTRUCTION ADVOCACY FUND AND PAC DOLLARS
In 2025, AGC focused its efforts on building influence where it matters most. Through AGC PAC, pro-construction leaders in Congress were supported who worked to advance our priorities, including workforce development, infrastructure investment, immigration reform, and permitting reform. The Construction Advocacy Fund complemented that work by promoting policies that strengthen the industry’s business environment and achieving key successes in the courts that pushed back against regulatory overreach and protected AGC members from costly mandates.
