Political Quotes

“I speak again on the issue of the implementation of a commercial study, the A-76 program, which basically is designed to outsource a number of jobs in my home island of Guam. I rise again to point out some very serious difficulties with this process, and point out to the Members and especially the Members of the Committee on Armed Services that these kinds of problems which we are experiencing in Guam will inevitably be experienced by everyone as they undergo this A-76 process. Yesterday on Guam, Raytheon Technical Services commenced their contract with the U.S. Navy for base operation support functions. Approximately 800 Federal civil service workers were laid off, and most of them were immediately rehired by Raytheon under the so-called right of first refusal to perform the very same jobs as they did last week, only they will be paid a salary of 40 to 60 percent less. The Navy has told us that the wages that the contractor is required to pay are based on a 'prevailing wage determination,' as is calculated by the U.S. Department of Labor. These are calculated by a prevailing wage survey. This survey is a composite of job-specific wage rates by industry in a particular community. They do not, however, account for the price of local consumer goods and foodstuffs which must be purchased in order to survive in that community, so Federal jobs also include a cost-of-living allowance that makes up this difference.”