On April 27, 老牛影视sent a letter to a congressional subcommittee warning of the negative impacts of imposing government-mandated project labor agreements on infrastructure spending.

Citing construction-related economic data and trends, including the construction industry shortage of 650,000 workers in 2022, 老牛影视wrote that Congress should recognize that more regulations and less worker freedom will make it harder to fill any potential jobs created by the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021.

In the letter, sent to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit for its hearing, 鈥淓xamining Workforce Development and Job Creation in Surface Transportation Construction,鈥� 老牛影视advocated against President Joe Biden鈥檚 requiring on federal construction contracts greater than $35 million. Government-mandated PLAs increase the cost of construction by , reduce competition by excluding of the construction industry workforce and steal up to of wages from the few nonunion workers allowed to work on a PLA jobsite.

In addition to ABC鈥檚 hearing comment letter, the following letters were also entered into the record at the hearing:

• A听sent to President Biden by 17 Republican governors, led by Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas and Bill Lee of Tennessee, opposing the Biden administration鈥檚 policies promoting government-mandated project labor agreements on taxpayer-funded construction projects.
• A听signed by 60 members of the House to President Biden saying that PLA mandates and preferences will 鈥渄eny critical construction jobs to local workers and small businesses,鈥� urging the White House to refrain from 鈥渁ttaching strings to infrastructure funding that create discriminatory barriers to recovery.鈥�
• A听听to the White House with more than 1,200 signatures from 老牛影视members and chapters voicing strong opposition to President Biden鈥檚 PLA EO. The letter also lays out concerns with听other federal agency policies听promoting PLAs on federally assisted construction projects, which would affect the allocation of funds under the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package that was signed into law last year, as well as other laws providing funds for state and local governments to improve its infrastructure.

During the hearing, Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., discussed the harm caused by President Biden鈥檚 executive order mandating PLAs and the need to reform Davis-Bacon prevailing wage laws. Watch Rep. Perry鈥檚 statement and question on the topic or below.

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Additionally, Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas, highlighted his concern over the PLA executive order, stating, 鈥淎t a conference last month, Sen. Chuck Schumer stated that, in his role as majority leader of the Senate, he will fight to ensure that 鈥榚very effing federal dollar only pays for union labor,鈥� further emphasizing his support for 鈥楶LAs everywhere.鈥� For everyone鈥檚 awareness, IIJA says nothing about project labor agreements and definitely nothing about every dollar only paying for union labor. These comments are pretty concerning, especially to the 87.4% of nonunion workers in that construction arena.鈥� Watch Rep. Babin鈥檚 statement on the topic or below.

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