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Americans for Tax Reform September 12, 2005 Dear Secretary Chao: I would like to congratulate you for helping successfully persuade President Bush to waive the prevailing wage provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The decision means that Gulf residents' lives will return to normal more quickly. In addition, more federal dollars will go to rebuilding projects, not fat-cat union shop bosses. Today, those of us fighting to rebuild the Gulf region as quickly and free of union cronyism as possible need to take action to solidify this victory. As you know, the Davis-Bacon waiver is in force only at the pleasure of the President, and therefore is subject to potential political pressures to reinstate prevailing wage rules. I would like to suggest that the President amend his executive order to put in place a common-sense trigger to prevent such an untimely occurrence for the people of the Gulf. Davis-Bacon rules should be waived until such time as each governor of the affected states deem that federal assistance is no longer necessary in their state, and say so in writing to the President. This would ensure that the Davis-Bacon waiver remains in effect for as long as is needed to rebuild, and also serves to align the interests of governors more closely with those of taxpayers nationally.
Sincerely,
Grover Norquist
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