In this Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, photo, light snow falls on construction workers, in Newark, N.J. The Commerce Department reports on U.S. construction spending in December, on Wednesday, Feb. 1. In this Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, photo, light snow falls on construction workers, in Newark, N.J. The Commerce Department reports on U.S. construction spending in December, on Wednesday, Feb. 1. WASHINGTON – U.S. builders trimmed spending slightly in December as a gain in private projects was offset by a big drop in spending on government projects. Construction spending fell 0.2 percent after hitting the highest point in more than a decade in November, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.