Long Survey Processing News Today

Rather than expand its coverage, Congress should fix the Davis-Bacon Act.

Three sections of the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008 (S. 3036) would extend the reach of the Davis-Bacon Act into private-sector construction. Under Davis-Bacon, Congress requires federal construction contractors to pay "prevailing" wages to prevent the government's buying power from forcing down wages of construction workers. These sections of the Lieberman-Warner bill, however, do not concern federal construction projects. Additionally, Davis-Bacon wages bear litt...