Charleston Reporter

Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation Chairwoman Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) has announced a hearing titled "Stifling Competition and Inflating Costs: The Biden Administration's Reckless Project Labor Agreement Mandate."

The hearing will scrutinize the Biden Administration's mandate requiring companies engaged in federally-contracted construction work to submit to pre-hire collective bargaining agreements known as project labor agreements (PLAs). According to Mace, this policy not only restricts worker freedom but also increases costs for taxpayers and hampers fair competition in government contracting.

“The Biden Administration’s project labor agreement mandate is a radical departure from normal competitive contracting procedures,” said Chairwoman Mace. “When the Obama Administration pressed federal agencies to mandate PLAs, they overwhelmingly chose not to do so since PLAs raise taxpayer costs by reducing bids and imposing cumbersome union work rules. The Biden Administration is now doubling down by making PLAs mandatory. This Administration clearly has no qualms about using the federal contracting process and taxpayer dollars to bestow favors on political allies and intervene in employee relations at private firms, instead of enabling fair and open competition for federal contract work.”

Implemented in January, the mandate allegedly discriminates against non-unionized construction workers and firms because PLAs typically require hiring through a union hiring hall and adherence to union work rules.

Hearing Details:

- Subject: Cutting Competition in Contracting: The Administration’s Pricey Project Labor Agreement Mandate

- Date: Thursday, June 27, 2024

- Time: 2:00 p.m. ET

- Location: 2154 Rayburn House Office Building

Witnesses include Ben Brubeck, Vice President of Regulatory, Labor and State Affairs at Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc.; Glenn P. Ledet Jr., Executive Director of Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority; and Aric Dreher, Vice President and General Manager at Cianbro.

The hearing is open to the public or can be watched live on Mace.House.Gov/media/hearings. For media inquiries please contact Gabrielle.Lipsky@mail.house.gov.

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