New Healthcare Bill – What Does it Mean to Us?
Over 200 TEXO and CFMA members heard presentations from U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions and R. Brent Cooper – Shareholder, Cooper & Scully, PC concerning the impact of the new Healthcare Bill on construction companies.
Both presentations outlined a number of issues which employers will face in the future. Many questions are still to be answered, as the legislation left many details to be developed by federal regulators. There are at least 3 lawsuits that have been filed across the country challenging the constitutionality of the legislation. Of course the outcome of such challenges could take years to resolve.
The presentors were of a single mind when it came to the importance of the November elections. The outcome of those elections could way heavily on the future of the legislation and how it is administered.
Thanks to GPaul Holliman and Brad Gross for their planning and implementation of the program.
ABC National and the Free Enterprise Alliance Board Launch HaltTheAssault.com
Chapter Presidents,
On behalf of ABC National and the Free Enterprise Alliance board, we are pleased to announce the launch of
HaltTheAssault.com. The Halt the Assault campaign is funded by ABC’s Free Enterprise Alliance and will focus on the issues affecting not just ABC member companies, but small businesses across the country. The target audience is employees of ABC member companies and the public. Recent Rasmussen and Free Enterprise Alliance polls show that small business owners are the most respected profession in America. Small business owners receive a 90% favorability rating, while in contrast, members of Congress, union bosses and CEO’s of large corporations are all below 40%. Since roughly 85% of ABC member companies are considered small businesses, it only makes sense for us to seize upon this opportunity and make our voice heard on these very important issues.
The campaign will focus on three important themes: jobs, the economy and how intrusive government regulations stymie growth in those areas. The health care debate, and our opposition to the current law, will be a major topic throughout the campaign. Just a few of the tools
HaltTheAssault.com will include are daily blog posts, links to relevant news stories, issue pages and an opportunity for individual companies to submit their pictures and stories about how these hurdles have affected their company. For those that choose to sign up, they will also receive a weekly newsletter that highlights the most important news from that week. In addition, a political component will be added later this spring in preparation for the November elections.
Tomorrow we will be sending out an email to the entire membership encouraging them to visit the site, take action and most importantly share it with their employees. This is the “soft” launch and a large external PR campaign will begin next week as we reach out various new outlets and an extensive new media ad campaign. However, this effort is too great and cannot be successful without your support. In an attempt to keep this email brief, here are just a few of the ways you can be helpful in promoting this launch of this new campaign:
1. Promote this campaign to your members via email or in an upcoming newsletter
2. Get them to share the site with their own employees and peers in the business community
3. Become a fan of Halt the Assault on your chapter Facebook page
4. Invite your friends to become fans of Halt the Assault on Facebook
5. Add the Halt the Assault widget to your chapter’s homepage and encourage member companies to do the same
6. Have you or a local member write an op-ed or letter to the editor in support of free enterprise and reference HaltTheAssault.com
7. Submit pictures and stories of how you are promoting the Halt the Assault campaign to your employees and the public
The task is daunting, but with your help, we will be successful. If small business owners and their employees do not defend Free Enterprise, who will?
Thank you again for all that you do on behalf of the merit shop and open competition. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions, thoughts or ideas.
Gov. Perry Earns Endorsements from Three Statewide Building Groups;
Discusses Negative Impact of Cap and Trade Legislation on Texas
Visit the Gallery for more images of the press conference.
DALLAS – Gov. Rick Perry today received the endorsement of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) of Texas PAC, Associated General Contractors of America (AGCA) Texas Building Branch PAC and Texas Construction Association (TCA) PAC at a press conference in Dallas where he also spoke about the devastating effects of cap and trade legislation being considered in the U.S. Senate.
“I am honored to accept the endorsement of these three groups, because they have devoted their lives to building Texas homes, factories and highways, just as we have worked to build a stronger Texas,” said Gov. Perry. “Thanks to years of conservative leadership, Texas has a strength and stability that is setting the tone for the rest of the country as America works through some of the toughest economic conditions we’ve seen in generations.”
Gov. Perry noted his concerns regarding the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent ruling on the danger of carbon dioxide and language in the Senate energy bill that includes mention of a national energy code for construction. As it stands, authorities at the state and local level adopt energy and building codes that reflect local realities. The new code would not only preempt standards adopted by State Energy Conservation Office, but would also set attainment levels based on tainted science surrounding climate change, significantly increasing the cost of building projects across the state.
“The one-two punch of the EPA’s ruling on carbon dioxide and the Kerry energy bill will put hundreds of thousands out of work and, as our president said, cause prices to ‘necessarily skyrocket,’” said Gov. Perry. “Those prices that will go up include everything that is manufactured, transported or assembled using traditional energy, affecting the cost of everything including the construction materials Texas builders need to build homes, office buildings, and roads, killing jobs, raising the cost of living and stifling our economy.”
“The Associated General Contractors Texas Building Branch PAC is proud of Gov. Perry’s leadership to maintain a strong economic climate and create jobs, even in light of the national economic struggles,” said Paul Workman, Immediate Past Chairman of AGC – Texas Building Branch. “We enthusiastically endorse his bid for re-election and look forward to working with him to uphold our state’s strong economy well into the future.”
Last week, Gov. Perry sent a letter to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson urging her to withdraw the EPA’s recent ruling on the danger of carbon dioxide, especially in light of the recent “Climategate” scandal, which uncovered that data had been manipulated and destroyed in order to falsely show a preordained result regarding climate change.
“On behalf of the more than 2,000 contractor members of the eight ABC Chapters in Texas, I’m proud to announce our endorsement of Gov. Perry for re-election,” said Mike Gremillion, Chair-Elect of Associated Builders and Contractors of Texas. “We know that businesses must have a stable business climate in order to provide jobs. Gov. Perry has done his part to create a business and civil justice climate in this state that allows business to better calculate its costs and thus provide jobs to Texans.”
“Gov. Perry has a proven track record of supporting efforts to improve the business climate in Texas and create new jobs,” said Mackie Bounds, Chairman of the Board of the Texas Construction Association. “He is a fiscal conservative who has led the fight to cut the fat out of the budget of our state government. TCA PAC is proud to have the opportunity to endorse Gov. Perry in his re-election.”
ABC of Texas has more than 2,000 members among its eight chapters across the state and represents commercial and industrial contractors who promote the principles of free enterprise and the merit shop philosophy. AGC Texas Building Branch was created in 1973 as the legislative office for all AGC building chapters in the State of Texas and acts as a legislative representative and capitol presence for Texas AGC building chapters. TCA is comprised of subcontractors and suppliers primarily engaged in commercial construction in Texas and represents more than 2,000 businesses with more than 150,000 employees.
Governmental Affairs Committee
