Today, House Education and Labor Committee Republican Leader Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Workforce Protections Subcommittee Republican Leader Fred Keller (R-PA) sent a comment letter to the Department of Labor regarding its proposed rule revising the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts regulations.
In the letter the Members write: “Despite claiming to ‘modernize’ the Davis-Bacon regulations, the proposed rule instead goes back in time to revive the definition of prevailing wage that was in place from 1935 to 1983. Returning to this definition is a blatant attempt to ensure that union wage rates prevail over non-collectively bargained rates. While unsurprising given the Biden administration’s claims to be the most ‘pro-union administration in American history,’ the blatant way in which the Department tips the scales in favor of special interests is disappointing and misguided, since just 12.6 percent of construction workers choose to belong to a union."
The Members conclude: “We are concerned that the proposed rule does nothing to modernize the Davis-Bacon regulations and fails to address existing and longstanding criticisms of the Department’s unscientific wage survey process. The proposed rule instead reverts to a decades-old definition of prevailing wage to reward the administration’s Big Labor allies. It will increase inflation, harm taxpayers, diminish the number of infrastructure projects, and hurt small businesses. We agree the Davis-Bacon regulations have long needed updating, but this proposed rule completely misses the mark."
Read the full comment letter here.
