FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2004

CONTACT: Stacey Farnen 202-225-3130

Hoyer: Why is the Administration putting workers in its crosshair rather than proposing a real job creation plan?

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today regarding new overtime regulations released by the Bush Administration:

 “It’s nearly incomprehensible that with the loss of more than 2 million jobs since President Bush took office and the highest rate of long-term unemployment in 20 years that this Administration has chosen to aggressively focus its energy on eliminating overtime pay for hardworking Americans.

 “But that’s precisely what the Bush Administration did today, when it issued new regulations that would strip workers of overtime pay.

 “The Administration claims that today’s regulations – which were slightly revised from earlier drafts – will eliminate overtime pay for 107,000 workers.  But the fact of the matter is, the Administration has shown time and time again that it is numerically challenged.  Under its original proposal, it claimed that some 644,000 workers would lose overtime pay even though that figure was actually 8 million.  Moreover, there is simply no reason to deny overtime pay to any worker who earns it.

 “The question should be asked: Why is the Administration putting America’s workers in its crosshair rather than proposing a real job creation plan?  And the answer was supplied a few months ago by the law firm Proskauer Rose, which told clients: ‘Virtually all of these changes [to overtime pay] should ultimately be beneficial to employers.’

 “This new regulation is not only unnecessary and unfair, it pours salt in the wounds of the hardworking Americans who have borne the brunt of the Bush economy over the last three and one-half years.  Democrats will never stopping fighting on behalf of the American worker and a level playing field between employers and employees.”

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