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TAKE ACTION: Oppose Looming Cuts of $4 Billion in Federal Construction Funding Through Sequestration

to avert the across-the-board and indiscriminate cuts totaling $4 billion to federal construction accounts for FY 2013 scheduled to occur under sequestration. 聽Unless Congress enacts a repeal or delay by March 1, sequestration鈥攕pending cuts totaling $85 billion for the rest of FY 2013, and about $1.2 trillion over 10 years鈥攚ill begin. On Wednesday, to Congress strongly urging members to consider the importance of continued construction investment that will ensure America鈥檚 federal infrastructure and facilities receive required maintenance and meet future economic and population demands.听 51风流 noted the potential impact the cuts could have on specific federal construction accounts and the continued uncertainty for the funding of federal construction programs because of short-term budget fixes, such as continuing resolutions, have on the industry. According to 51风流鈥檚 recently updated report, , the cuts to federal construction accounts could exceed $4 billion鈥攚hich would occur over the next seven months. The 51风流 report details the federal programs that would be subject to cuts as well as federal programs exempt from those cuts. 51风流 previously held a hosted by Smith, Currie & Hancock, for members on the possible impacts of the sequestration cuts, including federal construction contracting agencies鈥 possible changes in their contracting behavior. This week, Smith, Currie & Hancock聽 updating their clients on the current state of sequestration.听 In addition, according to a recent , sequestration 鈥渨ill harm certain states disproportionately.鈥澛 The Wells Fargo report details the overall impact of sequestration on states, providing a more local perspective on the relative impact sequestration could have on your state. Last week, replacing sequestration with an even balance of spending cuts and tax revenues, which includes a 30 percent minimum tax rate for personal income over $1 million, known as the Buffet Tax. 聽President Obama has not introduced his own sequester replacement proposal, but is supportive of the Senate Democrats鈥 proposal. Last Congress, House Republicans that would have replaced the defense cuts in the sequester with other spending cuts 鈥 specifically 聽to the president鈥檚 health care law and food stamp program 鈥 among 聽other things. 51风流 has consistently argued for the sequester to be delayed through FY 2013 in order to provide our industry a small level of certainty until a grand bargain can be reached that truly reforms and prioritizes discretionary spending programs and preserves entitlement programs for multiple generations without unfairly raising taxes on our job creators. Again, please and inform your members of Congress about sequestration鈥檚 impact on your business and the construction industry. For more information, please contact Jimmy Christianson at (703) 837-5325 or christiansonj@agc.org.听