Scott Co-Sponsors Bill to Repeal Federal Prevailing Wage Law

A federal construction worker in Martin County earning the prevailing wage on a government job site may not realize it, but a 94-year-old law is the reason his paycheck looks the way it does. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) wants to change that.

Scott has co-sponsored S. 4477, a bill to repeal the Davis-Bacon Act's wage requirements. The legislation was introduced in the 119th Congress and referred April 30 to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, according to public records on Congress.gov. The bill does not yet have a committee hearing date, and no companion House measure has been identified in the public record.

The Davis-Bacon Act of 1931 requires contractors on federally funded construction projects — roads, bridges, public buildings, water infrastructure — to pay workers at least the locally prevailing wage, a rate set by the U.S. Department of Labor. On the Treasure Coast, that standard applies to federal projects across Martin, St. Lucie, and Indian River counties, from Army Corps of Engineers work on the Indian River Lagoon to federally backed highway improvements along U.S. 1.

Supporters of repeal, including many business groups, argue the law inflates construction costs, burdens contractors with paperwork, and slows project delivery. Critics — primarily union representatives and labor advocates — counter that without prevailing wage protections, competitive bidding pressure drives wages down and skilled workers leave the trades, ultimately raising long-term costs through higher turnover and lower-quality work.

No co-sponsor statement from Scott was available in the public record as of press time, and his office had not responded to a request for comment. The bill's full text is available at congress.gov/119/bills/s4477.

For Treasure Coast construction workers, the stakes are direct. Federal infrastructure dollars flowing through FEMA disaster-mitigation grants, Everglades restoration contracts, and HUD-funded affordable housing projects all currently carry Davis-Bacon obligations. A repeal would remove that floor from every one of those job sites.

The bill now awaits action in committee, where it faces an uncertain path in a divided legislative calendar.

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