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2005 Recap: A Year of Victories and
Resolve
By AGC CEO Steve Sandherr
The past year was filled with many victories
and an encouraging spirit of resolve. We worked every day
to help advance the issues important to our industry and those
critical to our members.
We secured major policy victories in
the passage of SAFETEA-LU and won yet another Susan Harwood
Grant for our outstanding safety programs that deliver the
best safety practices to our members.
We fought for our members on legislation
ranging from the repeal of the death tax and reauthorization
of the Water Resources Development Act to the support for
Association Health Plans and Multiemployer Pension Plans.
We also continued to educate our members by providing them
access to the best training and education the industry has
to offer.
AGC's 98 chapters nationwide played an
important role in helping us achieve and implement our goals,
some of which are outlined here.
AGC Scores Victories in Passage of SAFETEA-LU
In August, President Bush signed the
Safe, Accountable, Flexible and Efficient Transportation Equity
Act of 2005 (SAFETEA-LU), a major legislative victory for
AGC. SAFETEA-LU provides $286.5 billion in needed federal
highway and transit investment. AGC worked tirelessly for
four years for the reauthorization of this important bill.
Because of AGC's efforts, contractors will be able to continue
jobs, work to prevent congestion and support the nation's
infrastructure.
AGC Wins Susan Harwood Grant Four Years
in a Row
AGC was one of only 13 winners chosen from 170 applicants
to receive OSHA's Susan Harwood Grant for safety and health
training and educational programs. AGC will use the $250,000
to develop and deliver another 15,000 training CD-ROMs in
English and Spanish on preventing frequently cited construction
hazards. Beginning in January, we will conduct 26 eight-hour
awareness training seminars focusing on the greatest dangers
of working on a construction site.
DOL Awards Grant to AGC
AGC received $235,500 in grant funding from the U.S. Department
of Labor to establish eight new Construction Career Academies
across the U.S. With these funds, local construction career
academies will be set up to prepare students for the work
force by integrating career and academic skills into the education
process.
AGC PAC Sets Record
AGC's Political Action Committee has enjoyed record success
during 2005, contributing more than $265,000 to business-friendly
candidates for Congress for the 2005-2006 election cycle.
As of mid-November, AGC PAC had raised more than $553,000
for 2005, more than any other cycle in recent AGC PAC history.
AGC PAC is developing a payroll deduction program to allow
the employees of AGC member companies to donate to the PAC.
Given this momentum, AGC PAC is on track to break the $1 million-raised
mark and looks to support more than 200 candidates in the
2006 elections.
The Voice of the Construction Industry
Because of AGC's expertise in providing top experts and information
such as regular analysis of economic trends and statistics,
reporters from news organizations around the country turn
to AGC first for construction news. An economic analysis from
AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson on construction materials
prices and insights on legislative issues from AGC's lobbyists
continue to increase AGC's role as the voice of the construction
industry.
During 2005, AGC was quoted or mentioned in hundreds of media
outlets nationwide, including the Associated Press, The Washington
Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNBC, ENR and countless
regional outlets across the country.
Soft Tissue Injury Prevention Program
AGC partnered with Zurich, an insurance-based financial services
provider to develop the Soft Tissue Injury Prevention Program.
The program includes training materials focusing on why soft-tissue
injuries occur and methods to reduce them.
We are proud of the industry we serve. AGC chapters and members
were vital in achieving success in 2005. We want to thank
our chapters for their efforts and commitment to building
a better quality of life in America. We hope to make 2006
an even better year.
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