[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6465-6466]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    THE END OF THE 40-HOUR WORKWEEK

  (Mr. COHEN asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. COHEN. Mr. Speaker, today was one of the saddest days this House 
of Representatives has probably ever seen. The 40-hour workweek, a 
great part of our heritage since 1938, destroyed. Don't get overtime, 
get comp time. Employer decides if you get comp time, when you get it, 
when he wants you to have it.
  Assuming that everybody around here that's working is working 40 
hours and wants to get some extra time is well-heeled and got time to 
take off and doesn't need that extra money, that time-and-a-half 
overtime, and they've got time to go out and play 18 holes of golf or 
something.
  Most hardworking Americans need that overtime to take care of their 
families and to get through from day to day. But today this House voted 
to take away that opportunity for employees to have the 40-hour week 
and overtime thereafter. It was a shameless day.
  We need to look out for our workers and preserve American rights, not 
give more to the 1 percent, more control and more money away from the 
99 percent.

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