November 17, 2011 9:30 AM CST

Repeal of 3 percent withholding passes

Bill sent to President to sign

By Tim O’Toole

The U.S. House of Representatives voted 422-0 yesterday to unanimously repeal H.R. 674, the 3 percent withholding law on all federal, state and local government contracts.

The bill will be sent to the President to sign into law. President Obama supports repealing the withholding law and is expected to sign it as early as this week.

"Congress demonstrated that when we work together, we can find bipartisan solutions to laws and regulations that stifle job creation,” said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich. “The permanent repeal of the 3 percent withholding law gives employers greater certainty that they will have resources to hire and invest in getting America back to work.”

The Mason Contractors Association of America has opposed the withholding and has worked hard to urge Congress to repeal this law. The MCAA would like to thank all of the members who called, wrote, and visited their Senators and Representatives to help make this significant legislative victory possible.

Many legislative challenges still remain in the months ahead. The MCAA vows to stay on top of these issues and represent the interests of mason contractors in Washington, D.C.

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About the Author

Tim O’Toole is the Director of Marketing, Education, and Information Technology for the MCAA. He has a Masters in Business Administration from Webster University and has worked in the masonry industry since 2003.