Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act of 1977
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.
Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act of 1977 - Amends the Davis-Bacon Act, which requires the rate of wages for workers employed on Federal public buildings by contractors and subcontractors to be based upon the prevailing wages for corresponding classes of workers employed on similar projects in the same area. Increases from $2,000 to $40,000 the dollar value of contracts to which such Act applies, and directs the Secretary of Labor to adjust annually such threshold level in proportion to the Consumer Price Index. Makes the Act applicable only to the wages of unskilled laborers, rather than various classes of laborers and mechanics. Exempts apprentices, helpers, and trainees from the Act, and prohibits the Secretary from taking any action which discourages the customary utilization of such persons. Requires the Secretary to employ a "sufficient data base" in determining the prevailing wages for purposes of a contract. Defines such base to mean data from at least three construction projects of a character similar to the contract work performed over the previous two years. Prohibits the Secretary from basing such determination upon projects located outside the county in which the work is to be performed, with specified exceptions. Requires the Secretary to make such determination no later than 60 days prior to the opening of invitations for bids for covered projects. Requires the prevailing wages to be the average wages received by laborers employed on projects of a character similar to the contract work. Requires the wage rate determination to be set as twice the minimum wage established by the Fair Labor Standards Act, if the Secretary is unable to identify a sufficient data base. Requires the Secretary, in determining projects of a character similar to the contract work, to consider specified factors, including the recommendations of Federal, State, and local agencies, potential bidders, and labor organizations involved in similar projects; and the similarity of purpose, engineering, architectural, and construction operations. Replaces the current weekly wage report requirement with a requirement that: (1) where evidence of a violation of the Act exists, a contractor submit weekly certified payroll statements and other records required by the Secretary; and (2) where no such evidence exists, a contractor submit an affidavit certifying compliance. Establishes a Federal Construction Appeals Board to which any interested party may appeal wage rate determinations or other rules of the Department of Labor which are likely to have a substantial effect on future wage rate determinations.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on January 15, 1979. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on January 15, 1979: Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
GEORGE HANSEN (R-ID) introduced it on January 15, 1979. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on January 15, 1979, 17405 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17405 days ago, on January 15, 1979.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers