Dive Brief:

• Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina said during a Teleforum Thursday afternoon with construction industry and other business association groups that, if elected president, she would reform the tax code, reduce federal regulations, and focus on pro-business legislation.
• When an Associated Builders and Contractors member asked Fiorina about her position on project labor agreements, she responded, "The federal government has no business telling businesses how to run their business. That is what these project labor agreements do." She said PLAs are a way for the government to use "its purchasing power to put its thumb on the scale in favor of these union shops. It’s a perfect example of how we have to take our government back." 
• The Teleforum was a part of a series in which a coalition — including the ABC, Associated General Contractors of America, Business-Industry Political Action Committee, National Association of Manufacturers, National Federation of Independent Business and National Retail Federation — invited candidates from both parties to address business concerns.

Dive Insight:

Project labor agreements have been a divisive issue in the construction industry, as opponents, such as the ABC, claim that PLAs restrict competition and raise costs, particularly because a common requirement of PLAs mandates that contractors and employees must pay into union benefit plans and abide by union work rules. But proponents of PLAs claim they are a way of controlling costs and quality on the job, and they reject the idea that they place an undue burden on non-union contractors and employees.

During a previous Teleforum with the coalition, Republican presidential candidate and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush also addressed PLAs. He said he had "not heard of" project labor agreements, but after a member of the Associated General Contractors of America explained the issue, said, "I oppose that ...  I'll have to learn more about it."

Throughout the Teleforum Thursday, Fiorina touted her business experience and distinction from lifetime politicians. "We keep electing people who are part of the system instead of being willing to challenge the system," she said.

Fiorina said she believes the federal government has negatively impacted businesses with the rules from its various agencies — such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Labor Relations Board — and she wants to "do a top to bottom review of every single regulation on the book." She added, 'We need to hack through the regulatory thicket."

Fiorina was the fifth candidate to accept the group's invitation to participate in a forum with member groups. Sen. Marco Rubio, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Ted Cruz, and Gov. John Kasich already spoke with the group. Most construction associations have not yet officially endorsed a presidential candidate, but the industry typically leans heavily Republican. With the first primaries coming in just a few weeks, the wide candidate field will soon start to be whittled down.

Presidential candidates were expected to speak to builders at a forum during the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas on Jan. 19. However, the National Association of Home Builders announced today it canceled the event because "all the major candidates have regretfully declined our invitation to attend," according to Stephanie Pagan, the NAHB manager of industry media relations.