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 pur-
poses. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fiscal Responsibility 
in Federal Contracting Act’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
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(1) According to the Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics, the national unemployment rate was 9 percent 
or higher for all but 3 months from July 2009 
through September 2011. The unemployment rate 
remains unacceptably high, with a national unem-
ployment rate of 8.2 percent (12.7 million unem-
ployed persons) in March 2012. 
(2) The Congressional Budget Office predicts 
that unemployment rates may continue to exceed 8.5 
percent. Investment banking firms estimate future 
unemployment rates between 9.25 percent and 9.5 
percent. 
(3) According to the Bureau of Labor Statis-
tics, an average of 15.9 percent of the civilian labor 
force plus marginally attached workers (individuals 
not seeking jobs as a result of being discouraged or 
for another reason) was either unemployed, margin-
ally attached, or underemployed in 2011. 
(4) The Davis-Bacon Act imposes costs on all 
Federal projects, increasing the costs of those 
projects by 22 percent comparted to the private sec-
tor, and costing the taxpayers as much as $11 bil-
lion per year. 
(5) Leaders of both political parties have sus-
pended the Davis-Bacon Act in times of national dis-
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tress. Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard M. 
Nixon, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush all 
suspended the Davis-Bacon Act. 
(6) State-level suspensions of similar State 
wage acts resulted in a decline in project costs and 
a significant rise in the number of jobs resulting 
from these projects. 
(7) Evidence suggests that in times of economic 
emergency, suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act re-
sults in higher employment rates and more jobs as 
a result of Federal contracts. 
SEC. 3. SUSPENSION OF THE DAVIS-BACON ACT. 
Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, sub-
chapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United States Code, 
commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, shall have no 
force or effect through the end of fiscal year 2023. 
SEC. 4. REPORT. 
Not later than 60 days after the end of each fiscal 
year through fiscal year 2023, the Comptroller General 
shall submit a report to Congress that shows the savings 
to the Federal government that resulted from the suspen-
sion of subchapter IV of chapter 31 of title 40, United 
States Code, commonly known as the Davis-Bacon Act, 
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since the beginning of such suspension through the end 
of that fiscal year. 
Æ 
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