Peter Visclosky: “I would note at the beginning of my remarks that Davis-Bacon is a very simple concept and is a very fair one. The law…”

“I would note at the beginning of my remarks that Davis-Bacon is a very simple concept and is a very fair one. The law requires that workers on federally funded construction projects be paid no less than the wages in the community in which the work is being performed for similar work. Large Federal projects can disrupt local markets if cheap imported labor is used. Davis-Bacon requirements ensure that local workers, citizens, Americans, have a fair chance at bidding for Federal contracts in their own individual communities. Additionally, prevailing wage protections are not the reason we have deficits. Doing away with them will not result in savings to the Federal Government. Davis-Bacon does not add to a project's total cost. A 2011 study of highway construction projects in the State of Colorado proved this point as it found no statistical significance between the cost of highway projects in the States which were subject to Davis- Bacon and the cost of State highway projects which were not subject to Davis-Bacon. Davis-Bacon has not led to extravagant wages for affected workers. I would point out at this date, 2012, from 2000 and 2008, the real hourly wage rate for construction workers, carpenters, electricians, iron workers, plumbers, steelworkers, declined--declined--despite a small increase in the hourly wage rate.…”