Donald Norcross: “I thank the ranking member for recognizing me. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the Republican Labor-HHS…”

“I thank the ranking member for recognizing me. Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to the Republican Labor-HHS appropriations bill, which, among other cuts, would slash funding for DOL's Wage and Hour Division by nearly 30 percent. Among other functions of the Wage and Hour Division, it enforces the Davis-Bacon Act, which ensures that workers are fairly compensated. It has been around since 1931. Davis-Bacon requires that workers on Federal construction projects are paid a prevailing wage, which prevents workers from being undercut, not being paid the correct amount of money for their work. For this reason, at the appropriate time, I will offer a motion to recommit this bill back to committee. If the House rules permitted, I would have offered the motion with an amendment to increase funding for the Wage and Hour Division to improve the full force of Davis-Bacon. Mr. Chair, I hope my colleagues will join me in voting for this motion to recommit. Mr. Chair, I include in the Record the text of my amendment. Mr. Norcross moves to recommit the bill H.R. 5894 to the Committee on Appropriations with the following amendment: Page 18, line 12, after the dollar amount, insert ``(increased by $155,953,000)''. Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.”