Amendment Protecting Overtime Pay Removed from Funding Bill

[efy2178]

Amendment Protecting Overtime Pay Removed from Funding Bill

Bush Administration claiming victory--obstacle to implementation of proposed new regulations is removed.

The White House is claiming victory over Congressional attempts to block overtime pay for millions of Americans including nurses. On November 21, Congress ended a stalemate between the White House and lawmakers by removing an amendment from the Fiscal Year 2004 Labor-HHS spending bill (LHHS)(H.R. 2660) that would have protected nurses and other workers from proposed new U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) regulations that would strip many of eligibility for overtime pay.

The provisions in the LHHS agreement have not yet been finalized--the House approved the measures as part of the omnibus appropriations bill on Dec 8, but the Senate failed to consider the bill before adjourning. The Second Session of the 108th Congress will convene in January, 2004.

The proposed DOL rule, which was published in the Federal Register in March, would change the ground rules for determining which employees are entitled to overtime pay for hours worked beyond a 40-hour week. On September 10, 2003, the Senate voted (55-45) in favor of an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), that would have blocked the proposed DOL rules by prohibiting the use of any funds for their implementation.

A similar amendment sponsored by Reps George Miller (D-CA) and David Obey (D-WI) was defeated (210-213) in the House over the summer. However, House members reversed course in October by adopting (221-203) a non-binding resolution instructing the conferees ironing out the differences between the House and Senate LHHS bills to include the Harkin amendment in the final bill.

During the conference committee negotiations, Sen. Harkin and Sen. Arlen Specter, (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee had waged a campaign in support of the Harkin language. Despite these efforts and bipartisan support for the measure, the Bush Administration's uncompromising support of the proposed new regulations prevailed. Bush's threats to veto the bill or flat-fund the education and social services programs it contained if the Harkin amendment was included led Specter to agree to pull the language from final conference agreement.

What you can do:

Contact your members of Congress to express your disappointment in the removal of the Harkin language. You can reach them through the "write a message" function of this website or by calling the Capitol switcboard at 202/224-3121.

Contact President Bush, tell him how important overtime pay is to you and urge him not to implement the proposed DOL Regulations.

Additional Information:

Read the 12/8/03 Capitol Update Article on the removal of the language.

Read the 6/25/03 Capitol Update Article on the DOL Regulations.

Read ANA's Comments to the DOL

http://www.capitolupdate.org/newsletter/?key=34_43.html

[Sarah Kat]

It seems like some folks out there have forgotten that this country is supposed to be "WE THE PEOPLE" and not "WE THE MEGACONGLOMERATE SUPER CORPORATION."

How are we supposed to be proper consumers (and drive this economy) when we aren't making the money we should, even if we work overtime hours?

I try not to be partisan, but it seems to me whenever something like this comes along that hurts the little guy and lines the pockets of the uber-rich, it is the "brain"child of some republican.

To me it's fiscally irresponsible to take away overtime protections while our country is in a recession.

Not to mention those of us who work in states that allow mandatory overtime...

:angryfire

[Sheri257]

I just wrote my Congressman so, thanks for the heads up.

This is so outrageous.

I can't believe Bush is insisting on pushing this through.

I just hope the public clues into this before the election.

[tukoo]

Does anyone know where we can find out exactly what the legislation says?

Thanks,

Ken

[RNIAM, BSN, RN]

From that link you gave I read that this new legislation will affect adminstration nurses, in effect BSN nurses in position of authority. I suppose a few ADN nurses may be included in this legislation if they hold admin positions. The bedside nurse will not be affected as far as I can see. Am I wrong in what I read?

[bluesky, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by Sarah Kat

It seems like some folks out there have forgotten that this country is supposed to be "WE THE PEOPLE" and not "WE THE MEGACONGLOMERATE SUPER CORPORATION."

How are we supposed to be proper consumers (and drive this economy) when we aren't making the money we should, even if we work overtime hours?

I try not to be partisan, but it seems to me whenever something like this comes along that hurts the little guy and lines the pockets of the uber-rich, it is the "brain"child of some republican.

To me it's fiscally irresponsible to take away overtime protections while our country is in a recession.

Not to mention those of us who work in states that allow mandatory overtime...

:angryfire

You go girl- my sentiments EXACTLY!