House and Senate Vote to Protect Overtime Pay
Feature Story by civilrights.org staff - 9/20/2004
The Senate Appropriations Committee last week voted (16 to 13) against rules that would deny overtime pay to millions of workers. The committee's vote came less than a week after the House of Representatives passed (223 to 193) a similar measure.In both chambers, lawmakers were voting on amendments to repeal overtime regulations that went into effect on August 23. President Bush has threatened to veto any bill with the amendments.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney called on President Bush to rescind his veto threat.
"Today's vote...sends a strong message to the White House: America's workers, leaders and communities do not support his overtime pay cut, and President Bush should back off his threats to veto this important protection for workers' overtime pay," Sweeney said.
The amendments would be attached to spending bills in both chambers. Republican leaders who support cuts to overtime pay are expected to try and remove the amendments when the two bills come together in a Senate and House conference.
According to the AFL-CIO, under the administration's overtime pay changes, up to six million workers would lose their overtime earnings.
