Administration To Nix Suspension of Federal Wage Law

[JABBS]

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, President Bush issued an executive order to suspend the 1931 Davis-Bacon Act, which requires federal contractors to pay at least the prevailing wages in the area where the work is being conducted.

But last week the administration yielded to growing bipartisan pressure and agreed to reinstate the workers rights law. The reversal will take effect Nov. 8.

The shift comes days after Rep. George Miller (D-CA) announced that he would use an obscure law to force a congressional vote on the act's suspension early next month. Miller had strong bipartisan support, and was likely to win the vote.

"This wage cut was a mistake from the beginning and never should have been ordered," Miller said. "But today's news is a victory for workers in the Gulf Coast and all over America."

Miller was one of the most vocal members of Congress when the law was suspended, accusing Bush of "using the devastation of Hurricane Katrina to cut the wages of people desperately trying to rebuild their lives and their communities."

***

Bush, parroting the language in a letter he received earlier that week from House Republicans, actually claimed at the time that the law needed to be suspended in the name of deficit reduction.

But that was just empty conservative spin. Think about the logic. Instead of adding $125 billion to the federal debt, suspending the act dropped the cost of Hurricane Katrina to what, $120 billion?

An administration spokesman said last week that it was allowed to temporary waive Davis-Bacon, and that its action was due to special conditions. But that, too, is empty spin.

Republicans have long opposed Davis-Bacon, charging that it amounts to a taxpayer subsidy to unions. Rest assured, if the votes hadn't been there in Congress to nix the administration's plans, Davis-Bacon would have vanished forever, just like the surplus Bush inherited from President Clinton.

***

This item first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.

[Bouncy Ball]

1. Uh deficit reduction?

I have an idea for that. BRING HOME OUR TROOPS AND STOP KILLING IRAQIS.

How's THAT for deficit reduction?

[JABBS]

2. no joke

That was the reason given by the House Republicans. Pretty much ignored by the MSM then, and of course forgotten by the MSM now.