a steady diet of Davis-Bacon

I wrote here my great dismay at Mr. Bush's suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act of 1931.

I also wrote my Senators and Congressman. Here is Senator Feinstein's reply:

October 3, 2005


Mr. Jim Hancock
123 Jasper Street, Spc 28
Encinitas, California 92024

Dear Mr. Hancock:

Thank you for contacting me about President George W. Bush's
decision to suspend the Davis-Bacon Act. I appreciate hearing from you
and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

On September 8, 2005, President Bush issued a proclamation to
suspend the Davis-Bacon Act following the tragedy of Hurricane
Katrina. Like you, I am concerned about the nation's strategy to rebuild
the communities affected by this disaster. Specifically, I believe the
suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act will cause significant further
hardship for those devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

On September 12, 2005, I sent a letter to President Bush
outlining my concerns regarding his decision to suspend the Davis-
Bacon Act. More importantly, I urged the President to reverse his
decision. I have attached a copy of the letter to this correspondence. I
believe it is the nation's responsibility to protect the wages of the
working men and women of the Gulf coast region. Please know I will
keep your views in mind should any related legislation come before the
entire Senate.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to write me. I hope
you will continue to keep in touch with me on issues of importance to
you. If you have any questions or comments, please call my
Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3841 or visit my website at
http://feinstein.senate.gov. Best regards.


September 12, 2005


The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500


Dear Mr. President:

I write to urge you to reverse your decision to suspend the Davis-Bacon
Act following the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. The images of
thousands of victims who were left to battle the storm on their own, in
the dark, and without sufficient food and water are imprinted on our
hearts and minds. More disturbing was the government's abysmal
response to people in need. Now, two weeks after the storm, I am
growing more concerned about the nation's strategy to rebuild these
communities. I believe the suspension of the Davis-Bacon Act will
cause significant further hardship for those families and communities
devastated by Hurricane Katrina.

Since 1931, the Davis-Bacon Act has protected American workers by
ensuring that they are paid the prevailing local wages on federal
contracts. The decision to suspend the Davis-Bacon Act will directly
harm the workers who are struggling to rebuild their lives in these
stricken communities. For example, without Davis-Bacon, in the city of
New Orleans, a painter could face a 65 percent pay cut from $14.88 per
hour to $5.15 per hour while electricians' hourly wages could be reduced
from $22.09 to $5.15. Similarly, in the city of Biloxi, carpenters' wages
on federal contracts could be cut by $7.00 per hour, from $12.16 per hour
to $5.15 per hour. And, in Mobile, Alabama, a roofer's wages could be
cut from $6.02 per hour to $5.15 per hour. This is particularly difficult at
a time when the cost of fulfilling even the most basic needs, such as food
and gas, are skyrocketing in their region. In such dire circumstances, the
Davis-Bacon Act does more than provide an adequate wage: it gives
hope to those who have lost everything. It is simply unacceptable to
lower wages in hurricane-ravaged areas and depress the living standards
of these communities even further.

I have reviewed the history of Davis-Bacon and I am convinced that
lower wages do not improve the lives of the communities hurt most by
these hurricanes. I am deeply concerned, that in the wake of Hurricane
Katrina, there will be more than enough profits for corporations, but
inadequate assistance to workers who are left to face higher costs of
living. In fact, many major companies, such as ExxonMobil and
ConocoPhillips, have already averaged stock price increases of 8 percent
in the twelve days since the hurricane. Oil companies Giant and Tesoro
are up 40 percent and 25 percent respectively. Meanwhile, the
communities who were left in the dark, and now, many left without
homes and some without families, are about to suffer a pay cut.

I urge you to protect the wages of the working men and women of the
Gulf coast regions whose communities and lives were devastated by
Hurricane Katrina.


Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator