Cass Ballenger: “I strongly support providing the District of Columbia with the flexibility and choice to waive the Davis-Bacon Act to…”

“I strongly support providing the District of Columbia with the flexibility and choice to waive the Davis-Bacon Act to help complete emergency school repair projects. Opponents of this modest effort claim the sky is falling in and that this is really a vote on repeal--it is not. The bill does not repeal the Davis-Bacon Act. It is not a mandate and it is not an order. It simply grants D.C. schools the option of waiving Davis-Bacon requirements. This is a vote to promote fairness, flexibility and choice. Rather than forcing D.C. school districts to comply with an expensive, antiquated, out-of-date Government requirement, Congress has the chance to provide flexibility to the school system. D.C. schools may have the opportunity to fix more roofs, paint more classrooms, or expand classroom learning opportunities. Instead of putting more taxpayer funds into the pockets of big labor, let's use it to help children--to repair schools and provide a better educational environment. Oppose the Sabo motion to strike, free the District of Columbia schools.”