Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
The Fair and Open Competition Act bars Federal executive agencies and recipients of Federal construction grants from requiring or forbidding contractors or subcontractors to enter into, or to adhere to, agreements with labor organizations on Federal or federally funded construction projects. It also prohibits discrimination for being a signatory or refusing to sign such labor agreements, requires a FAR revision within 60 days, permits limited exemptions for imminent public health, safety, or national security threats, and allows narrow grandfathering of preexisting projects.
Labor standards: liberals fear PLAs' erosion; conservatives see removed favoritism.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines its objectives and establishes a direct prohibitory mechanism with defined scope, definitions, and exemption categories.
The Fair and Open Competition Act bars Federal executive agencies and recipients of Federal construction grants from requiring or forbidding contractors or subcontractors to enter into, or to adhere to, agreements with labor organizations on Federal or federally funded construction projects.
It also prohibits discrimination for being a signatory or refusing to sign such labor agreements, requires a FAR revision within 60 days, permits limited exemptions for imminent public health, safety, or national security threats, and allows narrow grandfathering of preexisting projects.
Agency heads must take appropriate action if entities fail to comply.
Narrow, administratively implementable bill but high ideological salience and strong organized opposition reduce chances absent favorable chamber leadership and coalition.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines its objectives and establishes a direct prohibitory mechanism with defined scope, definitions, and exemption categories. It integrates with existing procurement law by directing a FAR revision and referencing statutory definitions.
Labor standards: liberals fear PLAs' erosion; conservatives see removed favoritism.
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Labor standards: liberals fear PLAs' erosion; conservatives see removed favoritism.
Likely opposed.
Supporters of labor and prevailing-wage policies would view this as restricting project labor agreements (PLAs) and union-negotiated standards on federal projects.
They would see potential harms to collective bargaining, job quality, training, and safety that PLAs can secure.
Mixed/conditional.
The centrist will weigh increased competition and small business access against possible impacts on wage standards, workforce training, and project quality.
They will focus on evidence, administrative clarity, and reasonable exemptions.
Generally supportive.
Conservatives will view the bill as restoring fair competition, preventing favoritism for unions, lowering costs, and reducing barriers for nonunion and small businesses on federally funded construction projects.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Narrow, administratively implementable bill but high ideological salience and strong organized opposition reduce chances absent favorable chamber leadership and coalition.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Labor standards: liberals fear PLAs' erosion; conservatives see removed favoritism.
Narrow, administratively implementable bill but high ideological salience and strong organized opposition reduce chances absent favorable c…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill clearly defines its objectives and establishes a direct prohibitory mechanism with defined scope, definitions, and exemption categories. It integrates with existing p…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.