Davis–Bacon Act of 1931
| Enacted by | the 71st United States Congress |
|---|---|
| Citations | |
| Public law | Pub. L. 71–798 |
| Statutes at Large | ch. 411, 46 Stat. 1494 |
| Legislative history | |
| |
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The Davis–Bacon Act of 1931 is a United States federal law that establishes the requirement for paying the local prevailing wages on public works projects for laborers and mechanics. It applies to "contractors and subcontractors performing on federally funded or assisted contracts in excess of $2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair (including painting and decorating) of public buildings or public works".
The act is named after its sponsors, James J. Davis, a Senator from Pennsylvania and a former Secretary of Labor under three presidents, and Representative Robert L. Bacon of Long Island, New York. The Davis–Bacon act was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Herbert Hoover on March 3, 1931.
As of 2016, the act increases the cost of wages in federal construction projects by an average of $1.4 billion per year.: 1