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House Votes to Block Bush Assault on Overtime
The House of Representatives issued a sharp rebuke to the Bush Administration's new overtime rules, voting 223-195 to rescind the Labor Department's move to deny overtime pay eligibility to 6 million Americans.
Twenty-two Republicans stood up to intense lobbying pressure from the White House in joining the vote to block enforcement of the rules, which took effect on Aug. 23.
The key vote was on an amendment by Rep. David Obey (D-Wisc.) to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The amendment leaves in place the one provision of the Bush overtime rules that actually would assist 384,000 low-income workers, making them eligible for overtime.
President Bush has threatened to veto the appropriations bill if the Obey amendment passed. The vote was the fifth time that either the House or Senate has passed a measure opposing the new rules.
"At a time when Americans are working longer and harder than ever and still seeing their real wages decline, it's incredible that the Bush administration stubbornly continues to try to slash workers' paychecks," CWA President Morton Bahr stated.
"Once again it couldn't be clearer where this administration stands when the objectives of the business lobby clash with the interests of working Americans," he said.
Senator John Kerry, who has pledged to rescind the Bush overtime rules if he becomes president, stated: "Today's House vote to stop the Bush overtime regulations was a huge victory for working Americans and underscores the bipartisan opposition to George Bush's war on overtime pay."
Twenty-two Republicans stood up to intense lobbying pressure from the White House in joining the vote to block enforcement of the rules, which took effect on Aug. 23.
The key vote was on an amendment by Rep. David Obey (D-Wisc.) to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The amendment leaves in place the one provision of the Bush overtime rules that actually would assist 384,000 low-income workers, making them eligible for overtime.
President Bush has threatened to veto the appropriations bill if the Obey amendment passed. The vote was the fifth time that either the House or Senate has passed a measure opposing the new rules.
"At a time when Americans are working longer and harder than ever and still seeing their real wages decline, it's incredible that the Bush administration stubbornly continues to try to slash workers' paychecks," CWA President Morton Bahr stated.
"Once again it couldn't be clearer where this administration stands when the objectives of the business lobby clash with the interests of working Americans," he said.
Senator John Kerry, who has pledged to rescind the Bush overtime rules if he becomes president, stated: "Today's House vote to stop the Bush overtime regulations was a huge victory for working Americans and underscores the bipartisan opposition to George Bush's war on overtime pay."