Tenn Rep. Davis Introduces Bill To Reinstate Davis-Bacon Act

Recently President Bush issued an executive order to waive the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 for contracts concerning the rebuilding and clean up from Hurricane Katrina. The Davis-Bacon Act requires federal contractors on federally funded construction contracts to pay workers at least the prevailing wage in the area where the work is conducted. This will allow companies who receive no-bid contracts hire displaced workers as a result of the storm and pay them below the normal scale. With Louisiana already has one of the lowest prevailing wage scales in the country.

Bush waved the Davis-Bacon Act one day after he received an appeal from 35 Republican members of Congress who felt the action was needed “to protect the public interest during the extended rebuilding period ahead.” The letter these 35 “defenders of the public” sent to the President went on to say they felt that the Davis-Bacon Act discriminated against contractor employment of non-union companies.

Tennessee’s 4th District Congressional Representative Lincoln Davis has introduced H.R. 3763, the Fair Wages for Hurricane Victims Act to reinstate the Davis-Bacon Act for workers being hired by contractors involved in the cleanup and restoration efforts from the hurricane.

“I regret the President's decision to execute an Executive Order to suspend the Davis-Bacon Act provisions that require federal contractors to pay the prevailing wage in the local area for jobs and labor,” Representative Davis stated. “While the Administration argues it will allow "more bang for the buck", I see it as a harmful setback for the local economies and workers who need sustainable jobs while attempting to regain control of their lives. I strongly oppose any attempts to use the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina as a means to change policies not otherwise supported by the American people.

For this reason, I have co-sponsored H.R. 3763, the Fair Wages for Hurricane Victims Act which seeks to reinstate the application of the wage requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act to all federal contracts in counties affected by Hurricane Katrina, notwithstanding the President's proclamation dated September 8, 2005, or any other provision of law.”

We appreciate Representative Davis’s commitment to working families and applaud his efforts. Region 8 members are also encouraged to contact their elected representatives and ask them to sign on as sponsors of the bill or at least to support it.

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