I 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4403 

To suspend subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, 

commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, through the end of fiscal 

year 2023, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 19, 2012 

Mr. GOSAR introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Education and the Workforce 

A BILL 

To suspend subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United 

States Code, commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, 

through the end of fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fiscal Responsibility 

5 in Federal Contracting Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

7 Congress finds the following: 


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1 (1) According to the Bureau of Labor Statis2 tics, the national unemployment rate was 9 percent 

3 or higher for all but 3 months from July 2009 

4 through September 2011. The unemployment rate 

5 remains unacceptably high, with a national unem6 ployment rate of 8.2 percent (12.7 million unem7 ployed persons) in March 2012. 

8 (2) The Congressional Budget Office predicts 

9 that unemployment rates may continue to exceed 8.5 

10 percent. Investment banking firms estimate future 

11 unemployment rates between 9.25 percent and 9.5 

12 percent. 

13 (3) According to the Bureau of Labor Statis14 tics, an average of 15.9 percent of the civilian labor 

15 force plus marginally attached workers (individuals 

16 not seeking jobs as a result of being discouraged or 

17 for another reason) was either unemployed, margin18 ally attached, or underemployed in 2011. 

19 (4) The Davis-Bacon Act imposes costs on all 

20 Federal projects, increasing the costs of those 

21 projects by 22 percent comparted to the private sec22 tor, and costing the taxpayers as much as $11 bil23 lion per year. 

24 (5) Leaders of both political parties have sus25 pended the Davis-Bacon Act in times of national disVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:22 Apr 23, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4403.IH H4403

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1 tress. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard M. 

2 Nixon, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush all 

3 suspended the Davis-Bacon Act. 

4 (6) State-level suspensions of similar State 

5 wage acts resulted in a decline in project costs and 

6 a significant rise in the number of jobs resulting 

7 from these projects. 

8 (7) Evidence suggests that in times of economic 

9 emergency, suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act re10 sults in higher employment rates and more jobs as 

11 a result of Federal contracts. 

12 SEC. 3. SUSPENSION OF THE DAVIS-BACON ACT. 

13 Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, sub14 chapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, 

15 commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, shall have no 

16 force or effect through the end of fiscal year 2023. 

17 SEC. 4. REPORT. 

18 Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal 

19 year through fiscal year 2023, the Comptroller General 

20 shall submit a report to Congress that shows the savings 

21 to the Federal government that resulted from the suspen22 sion of subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United 

23 States Code, commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, 


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1 since the beginning of such suspension through the end 

2 of that fiscal year. 

Æ 


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