[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6370]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       RIGHT TO WORK FOR LESS ACT

  (Ms. PINGREE of Maine asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Madam Speaker, for generations we have fought 
to improve conditions for working American families: the minimum wage, 
anti-discrimination rules, and the 40-hour workweek. These changes were 
all passed by Congress to make it a little bit easier for Americans to 
make a decent living under decent working conditions.
  Now the Republicans want to roll back some of these basic 
protections, starting with the 40-hour workweek. The bill we are 
debating this week--which should be called the Right to Work for Less 
Act--is designed to let employers avoid paying overtime and could force 
workers to take comp time instead. But the comp time could only be used 
when it suits the employer.
  There is no question we need to improve workplace rules, like equal 
pay for equal work or guaranteed paid sick leave or a higher minimum 
wage. But rolling back the clock to do away with the 40-hour workweek 
is a step backwards, and it is a lousy deal for American workers.

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