Debt Limit Deal's Permitting Reforms and Work Requirements Will Speed Up Infrastructure Reviews and Help Ease Labor Shortages
The Associated General Contractors of America’s chief executive officer, Stephen E. Sandherr, issued the following statement in reaction to the emerging details of the proposed agreement to lift the nation’s debt ceiling limit:
“The debt limit deal announced over the weekend includes significant reforms to a federal permitting process that has, until now, been one of the main impediments to progress on many vital infrastructure projects. These reforms will reduce the time it takes to complete environmental reviews without weakening any of the strong protections built into the process.
“The agreement’s new work requirements for some individuals receiving federal assistance should help bring more people back into the workforce. It is no secret that pandemic-era measures that paid people not to work have resulted in severe workforce shortages in virtually every sector of the economy. These shortages have undermined economic growth, including in construction. The new measures included in this deal should help make labor shortages less severe while delivering people from dependency to the dignity of high-paying careers in professions like construction.