Support the Davis-Bacon Repeal Act, S. 244 and H.R. 743

On behalf of FreedomWorks’ activist community, I urge you to contact your senators and representative and ask them to co-sponsor the Davis-Bacon Repeal Act, S. 244 and H.R. 743, introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa). The bill would repeal Davis-Bacon Act of 1931, which requires all construction projects funded by the federal government to pay workers the local prevailing wage.

The Davis-Bacon Act requires federal contractors to pay certain workers the local prevailing wage for every federally funded construction contract that exceeds $2,000. The law drives up the costs of labor on federal construction projects by an average of 22 percent above the market, leading to higher construction costs.

This is because the Department of Labor calculates wage rates by using flawed methods and outdated surveys. Wage dictates from bureaucrats to businesses may boost labor unions, but this law’s continued existence harms taxpayers.

The Davis-Bacon Repeal Act addresses the problem of artificially boosted wages under the 1931 law by sending it to the dustbin of history. In November 2013, the Congressional Budget Office determined that repeal of the Davis-Bacon Act would save taxpayers $12.7 billion over ten years.

For these reasons, we urge you to contact your senators and representatives and ask them to co-sponsor the Davis-Bacon Repeal Act, S. 244 and H.R. 743.

Sincerely,

Adam Brandon, President and CEO, FreedomWorks