White House Threatens Veto Over Overtime

[Nambe]

Associated Press

The White House on Wednesday warned of a presidential veto of a $142.5 billion spending bill if Democrats pushed through an amendment that would block new Labor Department rules about overtime pay. ..

Democrats and labor unions warn that slight changes in the rules' wording could exempt up to 6 million from overtime pay.

The amendment would block all aspects of the rules except those that extend overtime to lower-paid workers.

A White House statement said President Bush's senior advisers would recommend that he veto the spending bill "if it contained any provision prohibiting or altering the Labor Department's enforcement of the final overtime security rule."

The bill being considered is one of the biggest and most important Congress considers every year. It provides money for education, health care, medical research and job training programs. ..

Obey acknowledged that Republicans, who control both the House and the Senate, could take out any provisions referring to the overtime rules in the final version of the bill. But with worker security an issue as the election nears, "it's a hell of a lot harder for them to strip it out this time."

Ride Don’t Drive * * It’s Global Cool

[Sub Atomic]

1. Perfect!!~

Bush* vetoes bill that would protect America's workers.

Now that needs to be preached throughout the heartland!!

[pinto]

2. "overtime security rule" (those words from the White House)

They just gotta kill something to "save" it....oh, and it's for your security, and don't forget that. Overtime supports terrorism.

[Ohio rules]

3. Hourly / Salary ?

As I understood the bill, people making over $100,000 as Salary employees wouldn't get overtime .
?
wtf is up with this bill anyway?

Honestly,
I don't know anybody who qualifies for not getting that kind of overtime.

hey
I don't know anybody making over $100k come to think of it.

[MockSwede]

16. Correction

anyone earning over $23,000 is exempt from being paid any overtime.

[pinerow]

4. Get yer veto-pen out Mr. Bush...Bring it on....

nt

[rustydog]

5. Don't you hate this "activist" President?

The will of the people doesn't mean diddly-squat to him.

[sevenrox]

9. Yes, I do.

and no, he could give a crap what the people actually want. If it benefits a corporation that is generous with the campaign donations then that's what he supports.

[Ducks In A Row]

6. excellent! bush hates workers and still prove it

[0007]

7. Jays'us fucking christ, this sounds like something you'd hear

on the "Crank Yankers"

[tXr]

8. more Bushspeak...

every time this administration justifies their actions in the name of our 'security', we can rest assured that our lives (and livelihoods) are about to become much LESS secure.

[proud patriot]

10. So Let's call his bluff

:D

[WMliberal]

11. buuuuuuuullllllllllshiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit. bush hasn't vetoed anything

and he isn't about to start with as minor an issue as overtime pay. why does he need to veto, when his party controls all of congress? can't he control his own party?

[Ohio rules]

12. PORK , the other white meat

was the bill beefed up with filler ? What attachments were made ?
hey,
Everything inside the belt is done as a trade off.

[WMliberal]

15. i'm not very familiar with the bill

this sort of this sounds like it WAS the pork on a more important bill. it's still a minor issue in an election year, but important to workers who count on that time-and-a-half. bush doesn't give a shit about those people, that's why I think he won't lose his veto cherry over it.

[AlCzervik]

13. Those *%&%*#&!!!!!

Do they EVER do anything for the American people???? WTF??!!!!! He's turning this country into a large size version of Texas.

[TahitiNut]

14. The Democrats have to decide which they'd rather have ...

... the issue or the status quo. The Republican Congress seems to have clay feet - if the Democrats get enough votes to support the amendment, do the dissenters still lose enough votes on 11/2 to lose seats?

Is Bush playing a game of chicken? Would he really veto funding for education, health care, medical research and job training programs? Or would he let it sail through and then proclaim it as an 'accomplishment' and deprive the Dems of the issue in the Presidential election? If he really vetoes it, would there be enough votes to override?

[saracat]

17. And the Press or the Kerry Campaign isn't making this an issue? Why?

What about in Ohio?