More than two dozen members of the U.S. House have signed a letter expressing support for what is called a “fair and open competitive bidding process,” as well as opposition to project labor agreement mandates.
The letter, sent to the leadership of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, comes as Congress contemplates legislation to reauthorize the massive Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act.
North Carolina Congressman Ted Budd has also submitted written testimony to the committee asking it to consider a bill he earlier introduced called the Fair and Open Competition Act.
The bill, said Budd, “prevents federal agencies and recipients of federal assistance from requiring contractors to sign controversial project labor agreements as a condition of winning a construction contract.”
By so doing, contends Budd, taxpayer-funded construction contracts will be “awarded through fair and open competition.”
The Fair and Open Competition Act has won the support of a number of industry groups, including the Associated Builders and Contractors, as well as the American Road and Transportation Builders Association, and the Construction Industry Roundtable.
Originally passed in December 2015 and signed into law by President Barack Obama, the $305 billion FAST Act was given a one-year, $13.6 billion extension last fall.
By Garry Boulard
