[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 106 (Friday, July 15, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1340-E1341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF DAVIS-BACON PREVAILING WAGE REQUIREMENTS-

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                            HON. JAY INSLEE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 15, 2011

  Mr. INSLEE. Mr. Speaker, today I voted against an amendment, offered 
by Representative Gosar, that sought to prohibit funding in the Energy 
and Water Appropriations bill from being used to enforce Davis-Bacon 
prevailing

[[Page E1341]]

wage requirements for federal contracts. Throughout the appropriations 
process for the upcoming fiscal year, I have voted against other 
similar amendments that seek to give federal contractors the ability to 
undercut the local wage levels on contracts valued at more than $2,000.
   The Davis-Bacon Act has been law since 1930, and simply requires 
that federal contractors, performing work for the government valued at 
more than $2,000, must be paid at least the local prevailing wage and 
fringe benefits in the area. This ensures that any workers that are 
working on a federal contract receive the same compensation as the work 
done by their neighbors. In a time of great economic difficulty and 
uncertainty for so many working families in our country, I will 
staunchly oppose efforts to undermine or weaken common-sense 
protections like those put in place by the Davis-Bacon Act.

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