FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TEMPE, ARIZ., JANUARY 30, 2017 – Last week, Sen. Jeff Flake introduced legislation that would devastate working families by slashing the wages protected by the Davis-Bacon Act.
Sen. Flake’s bill—the TIRE Act— would exempt infrastructure projects from having to comply with the prevailing wage requirements that other federally funded construction projects are mandated to follow. Notably, one of President Donald Trump’s signature policy proposals during the 2016 presidential campaign was a $1 trillion infrastructure upgrade package. The TIRE Act would exempt Davis-Bacon from most, if not all, of that spending.
“It’s disappointing that Sen. Flake is trying to cut corners at the expense of working families. The middle class has taken a beating since the Great Recession and we expect our elected officials in Arizona to ease their burden, not add to it,” said Israel Torres, managing partner of Torres Consulting and Law Group.
Torres added, “The Davis-Bacon Act is an important protection that working families rely on. Without it, our state’s skilled labor shortage will expand, and working families will take a huge hit. This legislation is completely misguided.”
Torres urged working families to call Sen. Flake’s Washington, DC office and demand that the bill be removed from consideration.
Sen. Flake can be reached at 202-224-4521.
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