[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 57 (Thursday, April 29, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E713]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       STATEMENT ON OVERTIME PAY

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                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 29, 2004

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to revise and extend 
my remarks.
  Today, the White House and Department of Labor issued the final 
regulations to end overtime pay for as many as 10 million Americans.
  Millions of hard-working American police officers, fire fighters, 
first responders, nurses, and veterans will see their paychecks cut.
  The regulations are the result of a White House initiative to help 
employers lower the costs of doing business by cutting employee pay and 
benefits.
  On Oct. 2nd of last year, I voted to block these controversial 
changes. We succeeded by a vote of 221-203, but the Republican 
Congressional leaders quietly reversed that decision at the White 
House's urging.
  The Bush Administration, despite Congressional opposition, is still 
cutting the pay of American workers.
  Over 2 million workers have lost their jobs under this Administration 
while millions more are working at McJobs with no benefits. You can't 
feed a family on minimum wage and leftover happymeals.
  Congressional Republicans and President Bush are letting millions 
lose their unemployment benefits.
  Congressional Republicans and President Bush think it's a good idea 
to ship American jobs overseas.
  And now, Congressional Republicans and President Bush show that they 
believe the best way for America to compete with the third world is to 
pay Americans third world wages.
  We don't know the exact number of people affected without more time 
to analyze the details. But here's what we do know: in March of 2003 
the Administration planned to end overtime pay for 8 million people, 
but claimed it only hurt 600,000 people.
  Now they claim that only 107,000 people will be hurt. Please forgive 
me if I don't believe them.
  President Bush's initiative to cut the pay of hard-working Americans 
that work overtime is unconscionable, and must be reversed. This will 
hurt many of the people that deserve the pay the most--the police that 
patrol our streets and nurses that care for our sick.
  I wonder, what's next on the Bush agenda--canceling Christmas?
  I urge my colleagues to rally in defense of overtime pay so we may 
overturn President Bush's misguided policy to export American jobs and 
import third world wages.

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