ARLINGTON, VA – The Associated General Contractors of America’s chief executive officer, Jeffrey D. Shoaf, issued a statement (provided below) urging Congress to pass the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement that was introduced last month by Pennsylvania Congressman Lloyd Smucker. The measure establishes the first-ever visa program to provide a lawful pathway for people to enter the construction industry.

“In a survey our association and NCCER released last month, contractors listed workforce shortages as the number one cause of delayed construction projects. In fact, 92 percent of construction firms report they are having a hard time finding enough qualified workers to hire. Congressman Smucker’s legislation will provide a much needed, lawful, responsible and temporary way for firms to find workers.

“Of course, the long-term solution is for Congress and the Trump administration to work together to reinvigorate our long-neglected career and technical education and training programs. Today, 80 percent of federal workforce dollars support four-year college degree programs, despite the fact only 38 percent of Americans earn such a degree. Washington officials can, and must, fix that funding imbalance by passing a new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act that includes significantly more funds dedicated to workforce training. And they need to double funding for the Perkins Act, which supports high-school classes focused on crafts like construction.

“But even if Congress were to significantly boost funding for construction education and training tomorrow, it would still take years for schools and training centers to provide the number of workers construction firms need. Establishing a visa program for construction occupations provides the kind of lawful, temporary, traceable and taxable pathway needed to serve as a short-term solution while we rebuild the domestic pipeline for preparing new construction workers.

“That is why the Associated General Contractors of America and its 28,000 member firms will do everything possible to encourage Congress to swiftly pass the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act and for President Trump to then sign it into law.”