Dive Brief:

• There are so many things Congress could and should do to get the construction economy into a higher gear, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) says.
• The group issued what it calls its "punch list" for Congress, including investing in infrastructure and restoring an energy-efficiency tax credit for commercial buildings.
• The AIA also wants lawmakers to make it less risky for smaller firms to bid on federal design-build contracts, and it should set up incentives for communities to adopt model building codes that could reduce how much damage and loss of life occur in natural disasters.

Dive Insight:

The AIA said the punch list term applied because Congress has an "implicit contract" with the nation to create jobs and encourage economic growth. Several of the list items involve legislation that went unapproved in 2013.