On the recordJuly 12, 2016
I thank the gentlewoman from Minnesota for yielding. Mr. Chairman, I oppose this amendment because I support Davis-Bacon. Studies have shown that Davis-Bacon actually doesn't increase the cost to taxpayers, but what happens is that, if this amendment were to pass, you would see a reduction in wages. You would see an increase with these protections from Davis-Bacon being pulled away, an increase in on-the-job injuries. You would have fewer workers with health benefits. Davis-Bacon is about preventing wage exploitation. It is about preventing, undercutting local wages. I will tell you this. This is about ensuring that when the Federal Government builds a project with taxpayer money that it is not just about building a road or a bridge or a facility. It is about building the middle class, and it is about building the next generation of workers. It is about providing training and providing a good wage for people to be able to live and earn a good living and live with dignity.
