Mark Pocan: “I would just like to say I agree with the gentleman. I was at the hearing, and I heard the conversation that was there.…”

“I would just like to say I agree with the gentleman. I was at the hearing, and I heard the conversation that was there. The difference we had is that the hearing--I understand there was a disagreement with the executive order, but I would hate for us to confuse the disagreement with the executive order with the action that we can do here in Congress. We had concluded this last year in the appropriations bill, the exact same language, to the best of my understanding; and I know that, since then, there has been an executive order that we are trying to have a conversation with the executive branch about. However, it is not fair to the contractors who abide by the law that, when you bid against someone who doesn't abide by the law because they are shortchanging their employees, that makes it an unfair practice. We think the bottom line is we should be protecting those good contractors; we should be protecting the employees who don't get their fair pay; and, despite any disagreement we might have with the executive branch, I think we should, at minimum, as a Congress, stand up for those workers and for those good contractors. Mr. Chairman, I have been in business for 28 years as a small- business owner. I know that, when I bid on something, I want to know I am at a fair and even playing field.…”