ABC鈥檚 Industrial Users Summit, Oct. 22-23 in San Antonio, Texas will feature expert speakers who will provide discussions, best practices, and presentations on topics including quality, safety and workforce development.

The听Coalition for Fair Effective Tax Rates听and the听Reforming America鈥檚 Taxes Equitably (RATE) Coalition听held a听joint press conferenceSept. 19 to support the passing of comprehensive tax reform that would lower both individual and corporate rates and eliminate distorting tax preferences.听

老牛影视Sept. 19 sharply criticized pending regulatory proposals from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in response to a hearing held by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions. The hearing, titled, 鈥淭he Future of Union Organizing,鈥� and ABC鈥檚 letter highlighted the Obama administration鈥檚 efforts to eliminate employer involvement in the union representation process.

National Safety Excellence Award (NSEA) applications are due Oct. 25 and can be downloaded on听ABC鈥檚 website. All 2013 Safety Training Evaluation Process (STEP) Diamond and Platinum recipients are eligible to apply; there is no fee to participate. New for 2013, STEP Gold recipients may also apply for the NSEA by submitting the NSEA Gold application and $450 application fee. 老牛影视members who do not have STEP status can learn more about STEP on听ABC鈥檚 website.听

老牛影视Pelican Chapter President Alvin Bargas discussed the importance of career and technical education (CTE) programs to the construction industry in testimony Sept. 20 during a congressional subcommittee hearing.

The Department of Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Sept. 9 issued proposed regulations related to the Affordable Care Act鈥檚 (ACA) employer and insurer information reporting requirements under Internal Revenue Code sections 6055 and 6056.听

The U.S. Department of Labor鈥檚 Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)听published two final rules听Sept. 24, drastically revising听Section 4212听of the听Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act听(VEVRAA) and听Section 503听of the Rehabilitation Act, which require federal contractors and subcontractors to maintain affirmative action and nondiscrimination plans for veterans and individuals with disabilities, respectively. The rules will go into effect March 24, 2014.听

A听study completed by the Tax Foundation听found that, with pass-through businesses surpassing traditional corporations in number, individual tax rates with higher burdens impact hiring and other investment plans, causing an already struggling economy to remain unstable.

On October 22-23, in San Antonio, Texas, 老牛影视will bring together industrial construction users and merit shop contractors for the first annual Industrial Users Summit. 听The goal is to discuss common issues that affect the way projects are planned and delivered and demonstrate how merit shop contractors deliver value to customers. The Summit also gives 老牛影视member contractors an opportunity to understand what owners need in the planning and delivery process.

The听老牛影视National Diversity Excellence Awards听recognize members that display exemplary diversity leadership in their workforce, supply chain and community with best-in-class recruitment policies, retention practices, and training and mentoring programs. Registration is open until Nov. 15.