On July 13, the House of Representatives voted down Rep. Paul Gosar’s amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 183-242.

The amendment, H. Amdt. 180 (Gosar) H.R. 2810, would have directed the secretary of labor to use Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data for wage determinations under the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA). Using accurate BLS data would prove the federal government is sincere in its goal of curbing waste and stretching project dollars further in addition to increasing competition, lowering costs and helping to level the playing field for all members of the construction industry.

Enacted in 1931, the Davis-Bacon Act requires contractors to pay no less than the local prevailing wage to on-site workers on federally funded construction projects costing more than $2,000.

The bill itself, H.R. 2810 National Defense Authorization Act, passed the House of Representatives on July 14 by a recorded vote of 344-81. The bill would authorize and prioritize funding totaling $696 billion for the Department of Defense and military activities and construction. The bill now heads to the Senate for further debate and voting.