Scott and Cummings Push for Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces
WASHINGTON – Today, 80 members of the House of Representatives called upon the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Labor to complete the review required to implement the President’s Executive Order on Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces (EO 13673). Representatives Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), Ranking Member of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, and Elijah Cummings (D-MD), Ranking Member of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, led the congressional movement.
“The Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Executive Order cracks down on federal contractors who break the law and ensures that all hard-working Americans get the fair pay and safe workplaces they deserve,” said Ranking Member Scott. “It is unfair for good actors to be undercut while competing against companies that cut corners in safety, fair pay, and compliance with non-discrimination laws.”
“All Americans – including those employed by federal contractors – deserve safe working conditions,” said Ranking Member Cummings. “This Executive Order will help achieve that goal by ensuring that contractors comply with federal and state labor laws. I applaud the President for this initiative and hope to see it swiftly implemented.”
Currently, the regulations require that the government contract with companies that have a satisfactory record of performance, integrity, and business ethics. However, this contracting system does not effectively review the responsibility records of companies before awarding contracts, nor does it adequately impose conditions on violators that encourage them to reform their practices. A 2010 GAO report found that one-third of the companies that received the largest sanctions for violations of federal wage, health, and safety laws were still able to acquire government contracts.
The President’s Executive Order, EO 13673, charts a path to fix this broken system, while ensuring that law-breaking contractors comply before they are able to receive new federal contracts:
- First, EO 13673 ensures that contracting agencies have the information they need to effectively evaluate a prospective contractor’s record of labor law compliance.
- Second, when contractors and prospective contractors are found in violation of federal law, they are given the opportunity to remedy their labor violations before the federal government takes any action. If a company faces suspension or disbarment, they will have full due process rights to challenge such action.
Support for EO 13673 has also been voiced by 68 women’s, civil rights and labor groups. In addition, a coalition of general and specialty construction contractors have come out in support the Executive Order including mechanical, electrical, sheet metal, masonry, and finishing contractors.
Link to full letter here.
###
Next Article Previous Article