[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 130 (Friday, September 25, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S11002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           FEDERAL MEAT AND POULTRY EMPLOYEES PAY ACT OF 1998

  Mr. BENNETT. I ask unanimous consent the Agriculture Committee be 
discharged from further consideration of S. 2511 and the Senate then 
proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 2511) to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture 
     to pay employees of the Food Safety and Inspection Service 
     working in establishments subject to the Federal Meat 
     Inspection Act and the Poultry Products Inspection Act for 
     overtime and holiday work performed by the employees.

  The Senate proceeded to consider the bill.
  Mr. BENNETT. I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third 
time and passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and 
that any statements relating to the bill appear at this point in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The bill was read the third time and passed, as follows:

                                S. 2511

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Federal Meat and Poultry 
     Employees Pay Act of 1998''.

     SEC. 2. OVERTIME AND HOLIDAY PAY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Agriculture may--
       (1) pay employees of the Department of Agriculture employed 
     in an establishment subject to the Federal Meat Inspection 
     Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or the Poultry Products 
     Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) for all overtime and 
     holiday work performed at the establishment at rates 
     determined by the Secretary, subject to applicable law 
     relating to minimum wages and maximum hours; and
       (2) accept from the establishment reimbursement for any 
     sums paid by the Secretary for the overtime and holiday work, 
     at rates determined under paragraph (1).
       (b) Availability.--Sums received by the Secretary under 
     this section shall remain available until expended without 
     further appropriation and without fiscal year limitation, to 
     carry out this section.

     SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Section 25 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 
     U.S.C. 468) is amended by striking ``except that the cost'' 
     and all that follows and inserting ``except the cost of 
     overtime and holiday pay paid pursuant to the Federal Meat 
     and Poultry Employees Pay Act of 1998.''.
       (b) The Act of June 5, 1948 (21 U.S.C. 695), is amended by 
     striking ``overtime'' and all that follows and inserting 
     ``overtime and holiday pay paid pursuant to the Federal Meat 
     and Poultry Employees Pay Act of 1998.''.
       (c) The matter under the heading ``bureau of animal 
     industry'' of the Act of July 24, 1919, is amended by 
     striking the next to the last paragraph (7 U.S.C. 394).
       (d) Section 5549 of title 5, United States Code is amended 
     by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
       ``(1) The Federal Meat and Poultry Employees Pay Act of 
     1998;''.

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