[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 39 (Thursday, March 5, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E580]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FEDERAL LIVING WAGE RESPONSIBILITY ACT OF 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. LUIS V. GUTIERREZ

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 5, 2009

  Mr. GUTIERREZ. Madam Speaker. I rise today to announce the 
introduction of my bill, the Federal Living Wage Responsibility Act of 
2009, legislation to mandate a livable wage for employees under Federal 
contracts and subcontracts.
  The Economic Policy Institute estimates that, in fiscal year 2006, 
``over 406,000 federal contract workers earned less than $9.91/hr,'' 
the poverty threshold for a family of four. It is unacceptable that in 
a time of economic crisis, Congress is not doing all it can to ensure 
that hardworking Americans have the opportunity to keep themselves and 
their families out of poverty.
  That is why I am re-introducing the Federal Living Wage 
Responsibility Act of 2009, which requires that employees of federal 
contracts or subcontracts of more that $10,000 are paid wages in 
accordance with the Federal poverty level for a family of four as 
determined by the Department of Health and Human Services. This 
legislation also ensures that federal contract workers receive benefits 
such as health insurance, vacation and holiday pay, disability 
insurance, life insurance, and pensions.
  While Congress took one step in the right direction with the passage 
of laws such as the Davis-Bacon Act and the Service Contract Act to 
help ensure that employees of federal contractors earn a decent wage, 
our work is not done. Thousands of federal contract workers still do 
not earn enough to support their families. These prevailing wage 
standards fall well below what is required for full-time federal 
contract workers to sustain a reasonable standard of living.
  Madam Speaker, in these times of economic turmoil this Congress must 
guarantee that hardworking Americans will be able to support their 
families with a livable wage. I ask my colleagues to join me in 
supporting this timely and necessary legislation which would set a 
standard for decent wages.