[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 77 (Tuesday, June 4, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H3026]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENTS

  (Mr. KILMER asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KILMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of a policy that 
allows Federal agencies to determine whether it makes sense for certain 
construction projects to have project labor agreements, PLAs, which are 
agreements between owners, including Federal agencies, and workers that 
establish work-site conditions.
  Federal agencies are currently empowered to consider PLAs as a means 
of reducing on-the-job conflicts, saving money, speeding up 
construction, and improving efficiency and worker safety. 
Unfortunately, this body will soon consider removing this tool from our 
construction toolbox.
  While they may not always be the answer on complex projects, PLAs 
make it more likely that a project will be done right the first time, 
on time, and on budget. That's why some of the most successful 
companies in the world, including Boeing, in my State, use a similar 
model for construction. It's why the Department of Energy uses a PLA at 
Hanford, and the Department of Energy has a PLA at the Explosives 
Handling Wharf in Kitsap County in my district.
  PLAs are open to all companies, union and nonunion, who see the value 
of this tool. At a time when we're looking to rein in wasteful 
spending, PLAs can be a successful model in improving and promoting 
high-quality, cost-efficient construction.

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