What a great way to start the New Year with a visit to Ohio LICA to participate in their Annual Convention. As the political transition occurs in Washington, I shared my thinking about how key LICA markets – agriculture, construction and tax – will transition and be considered by the New Congress and Administration.
President-elect Donald Trump doesn’t much care how Congress passes his legislative agenda. But he has decided that the best way forward is to play to the lowest common denominator — House Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson. This and more according to PunchBowl News.
Construction contractors are optimistic about certain private-sector segments and have high hopes for most types of public-sector work, according to survey results the Associated General Contractors of America and Sage released today. Yet they have very low expectations for several private-sector market segments, remain concerned about labor shortages and are worried materials prices will climb amid threats of new tariffs.
To get a broader sense of how difficult the situation is for Speaker Johnson in finding enough votes, here’s a look at the Republicans who opposed the latest version and some of their rationale.
Fish and Wildlife Service is withdrawing a proposed rule that would have only allowed crop cultivation and other farming practices on wildlife refuges that were unable to meet wildlife management objectives by mimicking natural ecosystem processes.
What happened: A new rule that requires construction employers to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) that fits their workers properly will take effect Jan. 13. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) finalized the rule Dec. 11.
Why it matters: The regulation was created to address problematic sizing options for people who are smaller or larger than standard PPE designs. Employers must ensure that PPE – such as high visibility clothing, hard hats, gloves, safety harnesses, and protective footwear – fits each worker’s body type.
The construction industry supported many aspects of the rule and supports its general intent but raised concerns as part of the broader Construction Industry Safety Coalition (CISC) about lack of clear guidance on how to determine proper fit. The CISC warned that this gives OSHA compliance officers broad discretion without allowing contractors to know in advance if they are meeting the standard’s requirements.
What’s next: Employers need to evaluate their PPE inventory and the needs of their employees to ensure the gear functions properly and does not create additional hazards.
The blame game across the political aisle is in full swing as different groups weigh in on what is important to their particular interest. Here is what farmers and rural America are calling for in the budget negotiations:
President-Elect Donald Trump nominated former White House aide Brooke Rollins to be his agriculture secretary, the last of his picks to lead executive agencies and another choice from within his established circle of advisers and allies.
Probably of no surprise to readers of the Legislative Landscape, confirmation of a continued drop in farm income by USDA was confirmed by the American Farm Bureau. This report comes at a time when Congress is being asked to pass significant disaster relief funding for rural communities in the Southeast hit by hurricane and related flooding.