The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee held a hearing to consider the nominations of: (1) Jonathan Berry to be Labor Department Solicitor; (2) Andrew Rogers to lead the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD); (3) Anthony D’Esposito to be Labor Department Inspector General; and (4) Andrea Lucas to be a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Of note, there was bipartisan support for Davis-Bacon prevailing wage during the hearing from Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) and Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE). Blunt Rochester asked both Mr. Rogers and Mr. D’Esposito whether they supported “Davis-Bacon prevailing wage and the need to support fair pay for workers.” Both nominees expressed support for Davis-Bacon and Rogers committed to enforcing Davis-Bacon if confirmed to lead the WHD.
Separately, Sen. Murkowski asked Mr. Berry for his views on Davis-Bacon and project labor agreements, saying they were both important to the labor community in Alaska. Berry said that he took no position on Davis-Bacon in his labor chapter in Project 2025, saying he was “agnostic and open” on the issue. Berry also noted that he was criticized by some conservatives for not going after Davis-Bacon but said that he is committed to enforcing the law as solicitor. Murkowski also asked Mr. Rogers whether he supports prevailing wage, to which Rogers responded that he supports the WHD’s prevailing wage calculations and said he will ensure that they’re implemented as Congress intended. Rogers also said he thinks the WHD should continue its work to enforce Davis-Bacon and to apply prevailing wages to enhance the purpose of the Act.