Max Baucus: “I rise today because yesterday I introduced the Baucus-Kerrey-Landrieu substitute amendment to the comptime bill. This…”

“I rise today because yesterday I introduced the Baucus-Kerrey-Landrieu substitute amendment to the comptime bill. This amendment will give working men and women the choice between earning overtime pay or taking that time off to spend with their families. As I travel around my State, I get the chance to meet with a lot of decent, hard-working people. In Montana, we know how to put in an honest day's work. And in exchange for that work, we ask only for an honest day's pay. But lately, that pay isn't stretching as far as it used to. That means working longer hours, and sometimes holding down two jobs. Whether it is a single-parent household, or a home where both parents have to work, people are finding less and less time for their families. Mothers and fathers are finding themselves caught in a costly juggling act, where they are trying to balance the demands of their work with the needs of their families. I believe that this trend has very serious consequences on our families and our society as a whole. I know most of the Senators in this body agree with me. As our society changes, so must our labor laws. They must reflect the needs of our current work force. And that is why I offered this amendment. Because America's working men and women need flexibility in their jobs--so they can spend more time with their families. And that is what S. 4, in its current form, proposes to do. Regrettably, I believe this legislation takes the wrong approach.”