I 112th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4403 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 19, 2012 Mr. Gosar introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce A BILL To suspend subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, through the end of fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Fiscal Responsibility in Federal Contracting Act.

2.

Findings

Congress finds the following: (1)According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national unemployment rate was 9 percent or higher for all but 3 months from July 2009 through September 2011. The unemployment rate remains unacceptably high, with a national unemployment rate of 8.2 percent (12.7 million unemployed persons) in March 2012. (2)The Congressional Budget Office predicts that unemployment rates may continue to exceed 8.5 percent. Investment banking firms estimate future unemployment rates between 9.25 percent and 9.5 percent. (3)According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an average of 15.9 percent of the civilian labor force plus marginally attached workers (individuals not seeking jobs as a result of being discouraged or for another reason) was either unemployed, marginally attached, or underemployed in 2011. (4)The Davis-Bacon Act imposes costs on all Federal projects, increasing the costs of those projects by 22 percent comparted to the private sector, and costing the taxpayers as much as $11 billion per year. (5)Leaders of both political parties have suspended the Davis-Bacon Act in times of national distress. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard M. Nixon, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush all suspended the Davis-Bacon Act. (6)State-level suspensions of similar State wage acts resulted in a decline in project costs and a significant rise in the number of jobs resulting from these projects. (7)Evidence suggests that in times of economic emergency, suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act results in higher employment rates and more jobs as a result of Federal contracts.

3.

Suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act

Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, shall have no force or effect through the end of fiscal year 2023.

4.

Report

Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal year through fiscal year 2023, the Comptroller General shall submit a report to Congress that shows the savings to the Federal government that resulted from the suspension of subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, since the beginning of such suspension through the end of that fiscal year.