On the recordMay 8, 2013
Today I rise to speak against H.R. 1406, misnamed the Working Families Flexibility Act. Feeding a family, paying our bills, and making sure that our kids have what they need, for most of us, those are the core things that we worry about each month, and they all involve money. However, H.R. 1406, which would be more appropriately named the Working Families Get Less Act, does nothing for those working families who are struggling to make ends meet. The bill fails to recognize that people usually work overtime because they need the money. The legislation essentially ends overtime pay by allowing an employer to give time off instead. Supporters say it gives working mothers more flexibility because they would have the option of spending their time at home--that's the flexibility. But no matter how you slice it, you cannot feed a family with time off. Every hour of work matters to a family's bottom line. It's a factor in food and clothing and keeping a roof over your head. So I urge a ``no'' vote on this bill that takes the money out of the pockets of working women and families in Texas and across the country. ____________________
