Washington, D.C. -- The National Association of Government Contractors (NAGC) is joining the coalition supporting the Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (S. 90) introduced by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA).

This legislation will curb waste and favoritism in federal construction contracting and ensure that taxpayer-funded construction contracts are awarded on sound principles that will deliver to taxpayers the best possible product at the best possible price.

Senator Vitter's legislation puts good policy over politics and ensures fairness and full competition in the federal contracting market. We strongly encourage you to protect taxpayers from costly special interests by cosponsoring Congressman Sullivan's Government Neutrality in Contracting Act (S. 90) in the 111th Congress.

Rep. John Kline (R-MN), the House Education and Labor Committee's senior Republican member, commented on the president's job-killing move on Tuesday:

"Project Labor Agreements (PLAs) reduce competition, increase costs for taxpayers, and add layers of bureaucracy and red tape to federal construction projects. Creating a formal federal process for imposing these Depression-era mandates on construction projects may be a win for special interests, but it's a loss for workers, taxpayers, and small businesses hoping to compete for federal jobs. PLAs are an antiquated approach to federal contracting designed to favor large, unionized contractors at the expense of smaller employers. The likely consequence of this new federal regulation will be higher costs for taxpayers and far less competition among job creators trying to get the American economy back on track."

TheTruthAboutPLAs.com is a project of Associated Builders and Contractors designed to track and disseminate news and relevant information about the detrimental effects of government-mandated project labor agreements. PLAs are costly and discriminatory pre-hire construction agreements that effectively restrict merit shop contractors and their employees from bidding and working on construction projects.

"NAGC is proud to lend our support to this legislation," said NAGC Director of Communications, Simon Brody. "Project Labor Agreements force small businesses out of the competition for government contracts."

NAGC joins the following respected trade associations opposed to forced Project Labor Agreements.

American Council of Engineering Companies
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC)
Electronic Security Association (ESA)
Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc (IEC)
National Association of Government Contractors (NAGC)
National Black Chamber of Commerce (NBCC)
National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)
National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association
National Utility Contractors Association (NUCA)
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

ABOUT NAGC: Since 1957, the National Association of Government Contractors (NAGC) has been the nation's premier trade association for government contractors, representing the interests of 120,000 businesses across America. For more information, visit GovernmentContractors.org.