On the recordOctober 9, 1997
let me rise in support of this amendment and describe why I believe the philosophy behind the Davis-Bacon Act is so important. It is my belief that the Federal Government should not use its vast procurement power to depress the wages and living standards of construction workers across this country. That philosophy is as valid today as it was when the law was first enacted. Let's remember the Davis-Bacon Act does not require the payment of the union wage. The Department of Labor is charged with determining the prevailing wage rates for each job classification required for a project based on the area where the particular job is located. I don't want and don't believe anyone in this body wants to go back over 50 years to a time when low-paid workers move into an area and depress wages for local workers. That is the basis for this legislation and that is why it is important to support this amendment.
Source
govinfo.gov
