Senate Officially Passes Repeal of 3% Witholding Tax on Public Contracts

The Senate has officially passed the bill repealing the 3% percent withholding rule with a 95-0 vote. 

NJECPAC have long supported the measures repeal working closely with both IEC and ABC on this and other issues plaguing the business community in Washington.  

Republicans have been on board with the repeal of the measure for a number of years. It is refreshing to see that the Democrats that have been blocking the measure are finally catching up with what matters to Business. The President has also succumbed, and agreed to sign the measure into law. 

It is comforting to finally see a bill get bi-partisan support and to know that all of our time and efforts spent in Washington pressing legislators on this issue were not in vain. 

As Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass), the sponsor of the underlying withholding bill, said, “This is just the kind of thing we have been calling for, just the sort of thing we should be doing a lot more of around here.” 

The Senate also passed a bill offering tax incentives to companies that hire veterans (94-1). 

Read Full Story Here:

Next week, House Republicans will attempt to advance legislation combating the NLRB’s rule for “quickie union elections.” John Kline (R-Minn) stated, “We can’t wait for Democrats in Washington to wake up to the fact that the NLRB’s actions are wreaking havoc on American workplaces.” 

As with any issue effecting our members and their businesses, we will continue monitor this one closely. Full Story Here:

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NJ IEC Wins 2011 IEC National Legislative Chapter Of The Year Award

New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors Wins 2011

IEC National Legislative Chapter Of The Year Award

From Left to Right; IEC National President Mike Kallmeyer, NJ-IEC ED Eric DeGesero, Government Affairs Director Joseph Hovanec Jr., And NJ-IEC President Arthur Carver



New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors was named the 2011 Legislative Chapter of the Year at the 2011 IEC National Convention and Expo in Louisville Kentucky.

IEC National Association has over 60 chapters Nationwide. The Award is New Jersey IEC's third consecutive Legislative Chapter of the Year Award having also won the Award in 2009 & 2010 

New Jersey Independent Electrical Contractors Chapter President Arthur Carver, IEC Northeast Regional Director Joseph Hovanec Jr. and NJ-IEC Executive Director Eric DeGesero Accepted the Award from 2011 IEC National President Mike Kallmeyer. 

NJ-IEC was recognized for its efforts to create a fair, equal, and safe workplace for all electrical contractors. NJ-IEC continues to maintain their long time Alliance with their Continuing Political Committee (NJECPAC) and other Electrical Contractor organizations throughout NJ for the common cause of working with the Legislature and Governor’s office to support and pass a package of tax relief bills.

The Independent Electrical Contractors National Association (IEC) also has a strong Nationally Recognized Government Affairs Committee representing Independent Electrical Contractors on Legislative and Regulatory issues in Washington DC. IEC National provides www.iecvotes.com enabling Electrical Contractors across the country to contact their Legislators in Washington on important issues affecting their business.



"I want to personally thank NJ-IEC and their members for their strong undying support of our NJECPAC. NJ-IEC members are among our strongest financial supporters. NJ-IEC members understand the importance of Government Affairs Representation to their Businesses and our Industry" said NJECPAC Chairman Joe Coviello, pictured. 




Coviello went on to say " I know I can speak for all NJECPAC members and member Organizations in offering NJ-IEC our appreciation for their Leadership in Government Affairs not only in New Jersey but also in Washinton DC. Once again, congratulations to New Jersey IEC on a job well done"

Please Help your NJECPAC continue to work to protect you and your business from damaging legislation and regulations from Trenton and Washington DC. NJECPAC provides the funding for Merit Shop Legislative Initiatives for Electrical Contractors and Small Businesses across New Jersey.

NJECPAC funding comes from generous contributions received from individual contractors, small businesses, individual local trade organizations, and individual taxpayers that each have an interest in protecting the industry in which they make their livelihood.

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Union contractors meet with basic trade leaders for strategic planning session

The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) representing Union Contractors recently held a Trades Forum meeting in Washington, AGC members and their staff from across the country attended the meeting provided an opportunity for union contractors to voice their concerns to leaders of the national unions and the Association. 

Labor leaders decried lost man-hours and jobs over the past two years and mentioned some of their efforts to manage the crisis. They also discussed efforts to raise capital for both public and private construction and to be even more politically active.  

Items discussed included joint efforts with contractors to market the value of union construction in terms of productivity and training, as well as outreach to non-signatory contractors seeking to overcome anti-union prejudices. Initiatives to boost training including a significant increase in journeyman upgrading, development of a new, state-of-the-art training center and added focus on training craft workers to keep up with changing technology and materials.

The meeting also included discussion of cost-competitiveness, jurisdictional disputes and other inter-union strife, and workforce development. Read More 

We believe AGC Members have a long road ahead of them given the fact that the wages that their members are forced to pay their union employees are as high as 50% higher than Merit Shop Contractors who already pay their employees well. That in itself inhibits union contractors from being competitive, add to that the lavish benefit packages they have signed on to give their union employees and it is no wonder they find it difficult to compete in the free market private sector.

Their inability to compete on a level playing field has in fact been negotiated and agreed to by their own members. Their own self destructive contracts are the primary reason why they are forced to spend hundreds of millions on political advocacy to get any substantial work in this economy at all. 

Meanwhile the Republican controlled House has passed at least 17 Jobs bills that can help AGC members and their union employees. However, those measures sit languishing in the Senate on Harry Reids (D) desk who has no intention of considering any of them. 

Perhaps on this election day they should take a good look in the mirror to see where the blame for their troubles really lie.....Or, they can maintain their anguish by going to the Polls and voting for every Democrat on the ballot. 

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Senate moves forward with Debate on repeal of 3 percent withholding

The Senate voted yesterday to move forward with debate on the House-passed bill that would repeal the 3 percent withholding requirement for government contractors.  

The Measure passed the Senate with a 94-1 vote. A final passage vote may take place as early as Thursday.

The bill, H.R. 674, was easily approved by the House in a 405-16 vote. However, the bill that paid for the repeal of the withholding rule, which scaled back the healthcare law's expanded access to Medicaid, had scant support from Democrats, and was approved 262-157.

While some Senate Democrats might have issues with the House pay-for bill, the Senate is expected to vote favorably on the legislation as approved by the House. The Obama administration supports both the repeal bill and the pay-for.

More on the Senate vote can be found Here 

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