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H.R. 7941 95th Congress House

Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act

Official title: A bill to amend the Davis-Bacon Act.

Introduced: June 22, 1977 See on congress.gov
Labor and Employment Business and commerceConstruction costsConstruction industriesGovernment Operations and Politics
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This bill died when the 95th Congress ended
It never became law before the 95th Congress (1977–1978) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 22, 1977
Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.
Jun 22, 1977
Introduced in House
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 Latest action June 22, 1977

Referred to House Committee on Education and Labor.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act - Raises from $2,000 to $40,000 the dollar value of contracts to which the Davis-Bacon Act (minimum wages on federally-affected construction projects) applies. Directs the Secretary of Labor to increase such threshold level yearly in proportion to the rise in the Consumer Price Index. Makes the Act applicable only to the wages of unskilled laborers. Exempts apprentices, helpers, and trainees from the Act and forbids the Secretary from taking any action which discourages the customary utilization of such persons.

Requires the "prevailing wage" (contracts covered by the Act must provide that covered employees are paid at a rate determined by the prevailing wage) to be set at the average wage paid laborers employed on at least three projects similar to the subject project which were carried out in the immediate geographic area during the previous two years. Requires such determination to be made no later than 60 days prior to the opening of invitations for bids for projects covered by the Act.

Requires, in lieu of the weekly wage reports presently required by the Act, that in the event there is no evidence that a contractor is violating the Act, such contractor need only submit an affidavit certifying his compliance. States that where evidence of such violation exists, the contractor must submit weekly certified payroll statements and other records required by the Secretary.

Establishes a Federal Construction Appeals Board to which any interested party may appeal wage rate determinations or other Labor Department Rules likely to have a substantial effect on future wage rate determinations.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 7941: Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act. 95th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/95-HR-7941/
MLA
"H.R. 7941: Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act." 95th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/95-HR-7941/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 7941, 95th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/95-HR-7941/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 7941: Federal Construction Costs Reduction Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/95-HR-7941/)
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