Senate Passes Measure to Scrap Obama-Era Contractor Rule

The Senate on Monday endorsed a measure to reverse a rule requiring government contractors to report labor violations when bidding on contracts. The measure, approved by the Senate by a vote of 49-48, frees contractors from having to report any violations of 14 federal labor laws, including those on wages, discrimination, and workplace safety. The regulation was panned by critics as a form of blacklisting, as contracting officers took contractors’ reported violations into consideration when deciding how to award bids. It applied to contractors bidding for any government contract valued at more than $500,000. The Senate’s approval of the reversal marks another victory for Republicans in scrapping regulations put in place under former President Barack Obama. The resolution is now headed to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed.