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Charles E. Williams, director of the State Departments Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations opened a new embassy in Yerevan, Armenia on May 6, 2005. Various embassies that are built under the guidance of Williams through Standard Embassy Designs are highlighted.

United States and coalition forces invaded Iraq in March 2003, and the U.S. pledged to immediately rebuild the country's affected infrastructure. The engineers and construction firms are committed to complete the approximately $12 billion in reconstruction contracts, but are facing fear of insurgents and often muzzled by government managers.

Bill Gaul, an Army officer and a trained engineer with project management experience had difficulties in finding work after leaving the service. Hence he founded The Destiny Group, a San Diego-based firm that uses online technology to match men and women leaving the service with civilian employment.

The Ironworker-Management Progressive Action Cooperative Trust (IMPACT) has been launched for increasing the employment and market share for both workers and employers of the Iron working industry. General president Joseph J. Hunt is aiming at increasing the competitiveness of union contractors, streamlining the organization of the union and raising the ironworkers political profile as well improving relations with management.

The price of New Capitol Visitor Center under construction in Washington, D.C will be higher due to some changes in the design because of the spiraling costs. David M. Walker, comptroller of General Accounting Office, said that nearly $45 million may have to be budgeted to cover larger risks and uncertainties and unapproved design components.

Some 3000 construction company executives gathered at the meetings hosted by Bechtel National inc., the prime contractor for the $680-million Iraqi capital construction project to learn about construction opportunities in Iraq. However, under the Bechtel construction work, the only substantial element would be renewing Iraq's high-voltage transmission system.

The construction teams working to rebuild the Pentagon after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks have met their goal of having workers reoccupy the damaged portion by the one-year anniversary of the attacks. It took less than 11 months for the severely damaged section to be demolished and rebuilt.

The U.S. may be preparing to restrict immigration rules as a matter of national security, due to the terrorist attacks. Tighter immigration policies will be detrimental to the construction industry as many construction workers are Hispanic immigrants. Engineering schools will also be affected if foreign students cannot receive visas.

The September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington D.C. raised the question of whether recognizable structures can be protected against such acts. Contractors and designers agree that the only building that can withstand acts of that magnitude is a containment building at a nuclear power plant.

Issues are presented concerning the improvements which have been made to safety practices in the construction industry by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The OSHA's legislative and educational policies are discussed.

The difficulties surrounding the renovation of the Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense in Washington DC, are described, with focus on initial lack of co-ordination of the project and ever increasing costs.

Growth prospects for environmental engineering firms continue to be promising, as the market register record-breaking revenue for 1997 and 1998. For 1998 alone, the top 200 environmental firms generated a total of $26.7 billion in earnings, representing an 11% increase compared to the previous year. Much of this gain is attributed to the increasing number of hazardous, water and wastewater treatment projects awarded to environmental firms. Corporate consolidation also spurred market growth as proven by the acquisition of US Filter, which recorded a total of $5 billion in revenue for 1998.

Top executives of the Top 200 environmental firms attribute their success to the booming American economy, which allowed many businesses to prioritize environmental concerns along with other top corporate concerns. The top 200 firms posted an aggregate $24.1 bil in revenues in 1997, with hazardous waste cleanup and water and wastewater treatment business accounting for 38% of the total revenue. The two sectors also account for the large international accounts of the environmental firms, amounting to revenues of $5 bil from $3.4 bil in 1996.

Las Vegas' 15 building trade unions are undertaking a major transition towards unionism and coordination. According to trade leaders, the industry as a whole must be able to organize and streamline their operations in order to meet the challenges of diversification. Others stressed the need to participate in consolidation and merger activities in order to address the declining rate of membership in the industry. In some regional quarters, union members have enhanced their skills through training programs and technological experiments.

The US construction industry executives fear that the budget cuts may tighten the spending for federal infrastructure programs and domestic programs that many firms rely on. The main concern of the construction industry is that the reduction may affect the long-pending transportation bill.

A brief description on the programs of unions formed of different departments of the construction industry for the November 2, 2004 elections is presented. The most important issues of concern for the elections presented by the unions are economy and the cost of war in Iraq.

President Bush is planning to seek 14.5 billion dollars in additional funds to reconstruct Iraq's infrastructure. The infrastructure plan is a part of an 87-billion dollars supplemental spending proposal and of the total 51 billion dollars would go to support the U.S. military in Iraq.

Recovery is hampered by war damage to oil pumping stations. According to Ahuma Adodoadji, director of CARE, Iraq is facing major problem in water and sanitation.

Reconstruction of Iraq is not an easy task, according to chief of engineers Lieutenant General Robert B. Flower as infrastructure was in bad condition. Security and communication are among the many challenges for the reconstruction crew.

Pollution reduction strategies and regulations of electric utilities are described. Environmental Protection Agency regulations and a chart detailing pollution standards set by the administration of George W. Bush are provided.

The majority of construction firms believe that leaders must be people-oriented to manage effectively in the construction industry. The article discusses other important traits for managers.

The United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America union and its influential president Douglas J. McCarron are profiled. Membership is growing, and the union is placing increased emphasis on organizing, with the number of organizers now at 700, versus only 50 in 1995. Article describes the progress the union has made under McCarron and its position in relation to other trades unions.

Issues are presented concerning the 4.2% rise in labor costs in 2000 when compared with 1999. The low level of unemployment in the construction industry is discussed. The Hourly Union Pay Scales for the year to December 2000 are included.

Statistics are presented for union pay rates in the construction industry in December 1999. The results of increased unionization are discussed, with focus on the effect this has on wage rates.

A rail mounted crane system for the construction of the Ravens Stadium in Baltimore, MD is easing construction hassles. The rail-mounted cranes were supplied by Morrow Equipment Co and facilitates construction through operating in any weather, easing congestion and saving time. The cranes were chosen as the stadium's design requires the installation of 3,668 precast components.

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Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso's new economic policy renewed hopes for a viable market among US contractors. The economic policy includes a series of tax increases and spending cuts to help reduce the country's sizeable budget deficit. US companies hope the emergency measure will not derail their planned private projects in Brazil.

The AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Dept. is taking its successful multicraft, grassroots organizing campaign nationwide after its successful launch in Las Vegas, NV. The Building Trades Organizing Program is AFL-CIO's grassroots organizing campaign which seeks to unite members of various construction trades into a single union. As part of its campaign, the union has released instructional materials to the union on how to go about their organizing program.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plans to increase its employer-based safety programs to address the problems of fatalities in the construction industry. The OSHA plans to provide employers with incentives as well as the education to help employers reduce workplace accidents which result in fatalities. While injuries in the construction industry has steadily declined, the number of fatalities continue to remain the same.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that Hurricane Katrina will cost the Gulf Coast over 400,000 jobs. While Katrina has devastated ordinary businesses, it will lead to a boom in cleanup and reconstruction activity, construction unions, plumbers especially union painters will work with both union and nonunion contractors on training needs and helping businesses to reopen.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's main (FEMA) task was to provide housing for the people and rebuilding entire cities step by step after the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. Cleaning up the cities of flood waters is also important, hence contracts are awarded for the same as well as rebuilding the infrastructure.

Labor leaders, management representatives, union business agents and rank-and-file members agree that even though health insurance is one of the most important benefits for union construction workers, the costs are spiraling and the problem is out of control. It is suggested that unions need to improve efficiencies in how medical costs are handled and need to come up with a solution.

BCTD leaders are meeting to reshape resolutions that would be considered following the departure of the teamsters and carpenters with less than two weeks between the end of the AFL-CIO convention and the start of the Building and Construction Trades Dept. conclave. The teamsters, along with the service employees union, withdrew from the AFL-CIO on July 25, 2005 the first day of the labor federation's 50th constitutional convention in Chicago.

The AFL-CIO's Building and Construction Trades Department (BCTD) has put the nonunion Associated Builders and Contractors on notice that its apprentice programs are under attack, including possible legal action. The study shows that poor apprentice graduation rates prompt the unions to call for government action.

President Bush's $2.57 trillion budget plan for fiscal year 2006 asks for severe cuts in many infrastructure accounts, but has a silver lining proposing $283. 9 billion over six years for the long-sidetracked surface transportation bill. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting the same day, Bush called the proposal, 'a lean budget' and added that, Congress needs to act on this budget in a responsible way.

AFL-CIO President John J. Sweeney's endorsement and $100 million that the Unions expended for John Kerry's presidential election could not ensure his victory. A report is presented on some union leaders speculating about changes to the construction workers union consolidation.

The state and federal governments in US are trying to push some bonds, but other proposals and new initiatives could impact on how engineers and contractors conduct their business. More than 40 transportation measures dominate state and local ballots, as the federal spending is uncertain.

The Congress has passed the corporate tax bill but waits on transportation, water resources bills, as elections are due in November 2004. Topping the list of completed bills is a $140-billion corporate tax-cut measure with a break for architectural and engineering firms and a change in the ethanol fuel tax that's expected to add more than $3 billion a year to the Highway Trust Fund but a lot of projects in the pipeline are going to be in jeopardy.

The most difficult task faced by the construction firms involved in construction work to rebuild war-torn Iraq is to provide security to their employees and protecting the sites where ammunition is collected and destroyed, particularly near populated areas. However, it is not difficult for these contractors to mobilize work force despite the risks involved.

Industry officials feel that the reluctance of the Bush administration to enforce stringent emission laws regarding power plants would damage the environment. The industry observes that it would be difficult to penalize the firms or reach an agreement under the new eased rules.

The United States has awarded numerous support contracts to construction and engineering firms as ground fighting intensifies in Iraq. The article discusses various contracts including Kellogg Brown & Root's deal with the Corps of Engineers to handle oil well fires and rebuild damaged petroleum infrastructure.

United States military and civilian officials are devising plans for reconstructing a post-Saddam Hussein Iraq. Engineering and construction firms could benefit from the situation with contracts worth billions of dollars.

The 2004 fiscal plan of President Bush emphasizes domestic security and national defense at the expense of construction programs. Article includes a table that illustrates how construction-related prgrams might fare in 2004.

The United States Labor Department has disclosed information on its Web site concerning the salaries, net assets, investments, and other financial details of various construction trade unions. The information reveals how disbursements, allowances, and other expenses raise the annual salaries of the trade unions' presidents.

A study sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency explores the extent of damage to buildings in the area of the World Trade Center collapse. Findings are presented.

The AFL-CIO and a federal jury in Washington D.C. are separately investigating certain trading privileges of ULLICO Inc.'s board members that allegedly enabled them to profit from the purchase and sale of the company's shares. The company's beneficial investment in Global Crossing Ltd.'s private placement in 1997 is one transaction under investigation.

President George Bush's 2003 national budget proposal decreases spending for federal construction programs while increasing spending at the Department of Defense. The biggest cuts in construction spending will be aimed at prisons and highways.