Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) is pushing legislation that would suspend the Davis-Bacon Act’s prevailing-wage provisions on federal highway construction contracts. Supporters of Flake’s bill include the Associated Builders and Contractors. But leaders of the building-trade unions blasted the proposal.
The legislation, which Flake introduced on Jan. 24, would remove the Dept. of Labor’s ability—under the 86-year-old Davis-Bacon Act—to make wage determinations on federally funded highway projects that “commence” on or after the date the bill is enacted. The legislation had no Senate co-sponsors as of Feb. 10.