[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12006-S12007]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                DAVIS-BACON REFORM IN THE 105TH CONGRESS

 Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, throughout the 104th session, 
Congress and the American people sought new ways to enhance the 
training, health care, and retirement security of the Nation's 
workforce. Statistics tell us that our economy is healthy, stronger 
than it has been for years, yet, our sense of personal economic 
security has been shaken. News articles of corporate downsizing and 
consolidations have disturbed the confidence in the American economy.
  Under a much harsher economic umbrella, Congress, 64 years ago, 
intent on sustaining a construction industry already ravaged by the 
economic instability of the Great Depression, reasoned that the 
destructive practices of the Southern contractors would be best 
resolved by requiring that Federal contracted labor be paid the locally 
prevailing wage, thereby halting the tendency of Government contractors 
to drive down workers' wages in order to win lucrative projects. Thus, 
I believe today, more than ever, we need the Davis-Bacon Act to enhance 
the training, health care, and retirement security of the Nation's work 
force. The dividends of the Davis-Bacon Act are pervasive: a ready pool 
of trained and highly skilled construction workers, decreased 
construction accidents and the injuries and fatalities that are caused 
thereby, and the contributions to local, State, and Federal tax 
revenues that can only be made by working men and women.
  As Governor of Oregon, I signed that State's little Davis-Bacon Act 
into law 37 years ago, and I have supported the intelligent use of the 
prevailing wage standard in Government contracts since.
  Mr. President, Davis-Bacon has been debated year after year, and I do 
agree with opponents of Davis-Bacon that it needs revision. I emphasize 
that we need reform of Davis-Bacon and not repeal, as my colleagues 
agreed on May 22 of this year when 99 Senators voted in support of 
Davis-Bacon reform and not repeal. As my colleagues well know, it has 
been my objective during the 104th Congress to enact several long 
overdue changes to the 65-year-old Davis-Bacon Act, which enforces a 
prevailing wage standard on Federal construction projects. In the final 
hours of the 104th Congress, I ask the Members of the 105th Congress to 
reflect on the progress that was made under my Davis-Bacon reform bill, 
S. 1183. For example, 7 Republican cosponsors and 19 Democrats 
cosponsoring S. 1183 for a total of 26 cosponsors serves as a simple 
illustration of the progress that was made under the 104th Congress 
toward Davis-Bacon reform and not repeal.
  Mr. President, I ask those who adamantly support Davis-Bacon repeal 
to harken to the cry of Davis-Bacon reform. The Davis-Bacon Act as it 
now stands, indeed deserves some of the

[[Page S12007]]

criticism that has been levied against it by some of my distinguished 
colleagues. Nevertheless, its purpose of protecting the jobs of our 
Nation's construction workers must persuade us to reform, rather than 
repeal, the act. I ask my colleagues who support repeal, do we continue 
to live under a Davis-Bacon law, which we agree needs reform, or 
continue on under current law which will not be repealed now or in the 
foreseeable future. The logical answer is to support and vote for 
sensible reform, as in my bill S. 1183. The Davis-Bacon reform bill 
which I sponsored is supported by the building trades unions and 
several coalitions of contractors groups whose 21,000 members across 
the Nation perform major construction projects covered by Davis-Bacon.
  I urge my colleagues who will remain in this great body and the new 
Members who will arrive in the Senate and House in January to continue 
this bi-partisan, management-labor compromise for it provides us with a 
rare window of opportunity to pass the reforms that Davis-Bacon 
urgently requires. Such broad-based support for Davis-Bacon reform was 
and is extraordinary on Capitol Hill and I hope that it can be 
recreated in the next Congress.

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