Washington, D.C. -  U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson today praised President Bush’s decision to reinstate Davis-Bacon prevailing wage protections in the Gulf Coast.

            “There is a time for flexibility in the event of national emergencies. There is also a point at which order is restored and the serious work of rebuilding begins,” Rep. Johnson said. “It is in the interests of good business that the President reinstate these provisions. It is in the interests of people affected by Hurricane Katrina that their homes and businesses get rebuilt by firms and tradesmen from their own region.

            “This law helps ensure a quality work product and fair wages for the people doing the work. It guarantees a level of accountability that doesn’t exist when fly-by-night companies are allowed to exploit these tragedies with unskilled labor and a substandard work product,” Rep. Johnson said.

            Presidents have the authority to suspend the Davis-Bacon Act in times of national emergency. Hurricane Katrina represents only the fourth time the Act has been suspended since its enactment in 1931.

            The reinstatement, to occur Nov. 8, was announced today by U.S. Reps. Frank LoBiondo, R-N.J., and Steven LaTourette, R-OH, co-chairs of the Republican Working Group on Labor. The group, which includes Rep. Johnson, wrote President Bush last month expressing their concerns over the suspension of Davis-Bacon. The co-chairs then met with White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, who then informed the working group of President Bush’s decision earlier today.

            The Davis-Bacon Act sets wages for union and non-union workers on federal contracts, and also requires documentation of workers and hours worked, among other things. The White House contended that suspending the Act on Sept. 8 would expedite rebuilding and reduce costs. No expiration date was given at the time.

            In the meantime, suspending the law prompted the hiring of illegal workers over Americans and led to profiteering and further exploitation of the people and businesses affected by this tragic hurricane.

            “I applaud the President for listening and responding in an efficient, common-sense manner,” Rep. Johnson said.

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