Arlen Specter: “with respect to the Kennedy amendment No. 4106, my record is plain that I believe in strict enforcement of the Fair…”

“with respect to the Kennedy amendment No. 4106, my record is plain that I believe in strict enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act, strict enforcement of OSHA, and strengthening enforcement against unfair labor practices. But this amendment represents a sweeping change to the Fair Labor Standards Act and to OSHA. In particular, it increases certain penalties five- and tenfold. It increases civil fines under OSHA and criminal penalties under OSHA without any record as to whether such increases are necessary. There have been no hearings on this bill. It would increase an OSHA criminal penalty from 6 months to 10 years and in another place strike a 1-year penalty and insert a 10-year penalty on a first conviction. Those are very significant changes. As much as I favor strict enforcement of the Fair Labor Standards Act and OSHA and strict enforcement against unfair labor practices, there has been no hearing on this amendment, and, therefore, I reluctantly oppose it. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts.”