[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 120 (Thursday, September 22, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S10382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. BOXER:
  S. 1763. A bill to promote the employment of workers displaced by 
Hurricane Katrina in connection with Hurricane Katrina reconstruction 
efforts; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, we have all seen the unprecedented 
destruction and suffering caused by Hurricane Katrina.
  With the Katrina disaster, tens of thousands of people in the Gulf 
States have lost their jobs. In fact, over 200,000 have filed for 
unemployment benefits. For that reason, I introduced the Hurricane 
Katrina Reconstruction and Displaced Workers Assistance Act of 2005. 
This legislation would give priority in awarding Federal contracts for 
the rebuilding efforts to those companies where workers displaced by 
Hurricane Katrina comprise at least 25 percent of the workforce 
fulfilling the contract. It is the least we could do to help displaced 
workers.
  Unfortunately, on the same day I introduced my bill to help workers, 
President Bush did just the opposite. He issued a proclamation saying 
that those who get Federal contracts for rebuilding will not have to 
pay workers the prevailing wage. This is unfair to working men and 
women. It is not right. The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina should not be 
used as an excuse to take advantage of working people.
  Therefore, to ensure that workers in the region affected by the 
hurricane are paid the region's prevailing wages, I am introducing a 
second version of the Hurricane Katrina Reconstruction and Displaced 
Worker Assistance Act of 2005. It will still give priority to those 
companies who hire displaced workers, but it will also ensure that all 
workers are paid the prevailing wage.
  I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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