[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 119 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1692]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                INTRODUCTION OF ``HELPERS'' LEGISLATION

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                          HON. CHARLIE NORWOOD

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 10, 1998

  Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer legislation that will 
help create thousands of jobs for low skilled laborers across this 
country. This legislation will allow a class of construction workers 
called ``helpers'' to work on federal construction projects.
  ``Helpers'' are construction workers with little or no previous 
training who perform lower skill tasks to assist higher skilled 
workers. These are good first jobs for young or inexperienced workers--
just the kind of workers we are attempting to encourage to work with 
welfare reform.
  Now you would think that the government would do what it could to 
encourage work for these folks. At the very least you would hope that 
the government would not put any obstacle in the way of these folks 
finding good work. Well as I have learned in my 4 years up here you and 
I might hope this but it is probably unwise to rely on the government 
to do this.
  And sure enough the Department of Labor has put some obstacles in the 
way of ``helpers'' who would like to work on federal construction 
projects. The Department refuses to recognize these workers as a 
legitimate and ``prevailing'' job classification under the Davis-Bacon 
law. This prevents many ``helpers'' from obtaining jobs on federal 
construction projects.
  Today I am introducing legislation which will recognize ``helpers'' 
under the Davis-Bacon law and thereby allow them to work on federal 
construction projects. I urge my colleagues to join me as cosponsors of 
this legislation. Let us remove this obstacle to jobs. Let us expand 
the Davis-Bacon Act in order to create jobs for our lower skilled 
workers.

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