Tom Harkin: “5 months ago the Senate voted in support of my amendment to block the administration's effort to kill overtime pay for…”

“5 months ago the Senate voted in support of my amendment to block the administration's effort to kill overtime pay for millions of American workers. The bipartisan vote of the Senate was 54 to 45. The House followed suit with a 221-to-203 vote. The Congress spoke up clear as a bell and said: No, the administration must not strip overtime rights from 8 million American workers. But as we all know, the administration refused to accept the clear will of Congress. The administration ordered the conferees to strip this provision from the omnibus bill. Senator Specter and I fought to keep it in, but the administration refused any cooperation or compromise. In the end, with a snap of its fingers, the administration nullified the clear will of both Houses of Congress and the American people. This is just another example of the brazen abuse of power by the administration. The administration seems to believe in Government by one branch: the executive branch. Time and again, we see this administration running roughshod over the will of Congress. The administration's new overtime rule is a stealth attack on the 40-hour workweek, pushed by the White House without a single public hearing.”