In Opposition to the Quayle-Broun Amendment (#224) to H.R. 1 and in Support of Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wage Protection

Floor Speech

Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Quayle-Broun amendment.

This amendment would strip away Davis-Bacon wage protections in Hawaii and nationwide.

Enacted in 1931, the Davis-Bacon Act ensures that workers on federal construction contracts receive at least the prevailing wage for construction jobs.

The Davis-Bacon Act ensures projects are built by skilled and experienced workers who know what they're doing. Prevailing wages and higher-skilled work result in greater productivity and lower cost.

In industries without Davis-Bacon protections, we have seen unscrupulous contractors engage in a ``race to the bottom,'' trying to undercut each other to perform shoddy work, with less-skilled workers, at sub-par wages. These projects often end up costing more in the long-run due to repairs, revisions, and delays.

Some claim that Davis-Bacon costs the federal government more. On the contrary, studies show that higher-wage workers are more productive, saving hundreds of millions of dollars in the long run.

Construction workers who build highways, homes, or buildings should be able to earn enough to feed their families, put a roof over their heads, and send their kids to college. Beyond just helping workers and their families, prevailing wages improve local economies. Workers spend their income in local businesses and pay local taxes.

Workers participate in building trades training programs and health care programs and are not dependent on benefits from other social programs. One study found that local prevailing wage law generated 2.4 times the economic benefit of the cost of the construction project.

I strongly support Davis-Bacon protections and oppose this misguided amendment. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

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