    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1997, Book I)]
    [March 19, 1997]
    [Pages 326-327]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Letter to Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich on Proposed Compensatory
    Time Legislation
    March 19, 1997

    Dear Mr. Speaker:
        America's working families find it increasingly difficult to balance
    the demands of work and family. Our nation's workers and their employers
    deserve responsible compensatory time legislation that gives working
    people the flexibility they need to meet their obligations at home and
    in the workplace, while upholding three fundamental principles: real
    choice for employees, real protection against employer abuse, and
    preservation of fair labor standards such as the 40 hour work week and
    the right to overtime pay.
        The legislation currently pending House consideration, H.R. 1, the
    Working Families Flexibility Act of 1997, does not meet these
    principles. As a result, I strongly oppose H.R. 1 and will veto this
    bill if passed in its current form.
        We should enact comp time legislation this year that meets the needs
    of working families and U.S. businesses. Last year, I proposed employee-
    choice flex-time legislation and included expansion of the Family and
    Medical Leave Act (FMLA) so that workers could take leave for parent-
    teacher conferences or attend to the routine medical needs of their
    families. With these objectives in mind, I encourage you to support a
    substitute amendment to be offered by Representative George Miller.
    Unlike H.R. 1, the Miller amendment allows comp time without endangering
    fair labor standards, and without burdening business with greater costs
    or risks.
        It is time for us to work together to give America's working
    families the help they need to succeed in an increasingly demanding
    environment. Although I am prepared to support and sign a responsible
    comp time bill, I intend

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    to veto any legislation that fails to guarantee real choice for
    employees, real protection against employer abuse, and preservation of
    fair labor standards such as the 40 hour work week and the right to
    overtime pay. To that end, I hope that you can support the Miller
    amendment--a good step toward responsible comp time reform.
        Sincerely,

                                                                Bill Clinton