Schakowsky Floor Remarks on Bill to Block Overtime Rule Implementation

Washington, DC - Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in oppostion to H.R. 6094, a bill to delay the Department of Labor's Overtime Rule implementation by six months:

Americans have waited long enough to update our nation's overtime pay rules. After years of debate and regulatory review, proposed rules and final rules, it's time to ensure Americans are paid for the hours that they work. When I go home to my district, I hear how hard it is for working women and men to meet family needs. Americans need a raise. The Republican majority has blocked any vote to raise the minimum wage and they have blocked bills to provide women with equal pay for equal work.

Did you know working single mothers are paid 57 cents on the dollar that men are paid right now?

And now, today's bill will take away $600 million in earned overtime pay from 4.2 million working men and women. Half a century ago, 60% of salaried employees qualified for overtime pay, and today only 7% do. This is because we did not update overtime rules until this Administration stepped forward. We've heard the arguments for inaction and delay: well it's too hard for businesses, as well as false arguments about nonprofits. ‘This is happening too fast’ is another argument of theirs that just doesn’t hold up.

It has been 12 years since the overtime rule was changed, nearly three years since president Obama asked for action, and more than a year since the proposed rule was issued. The Department of Labor reviewed more than 270,000 comments and it changed its proposal as a result of those comments. It has provided flexibility for businesses and lowered the salary threshold. The Department of Labor has been responsive to concerns. And now it's time for the House of Representatives to be responsive to the concerns and the needs of working families. In my home state of Illinois, nearly 194,000 working men and women and their families would be helped by overtime protections. They shouldn't have to wait any longer.

Extra work should mean extra pay. It is a simple matter of fairness. Workers who are hired full-time should not be paid the same salary, whether they worked 40 hours a week or 60 hours a week, they should either be paid for the hours they work or be able to spend those extra hours with their family.

Many Americans are balancing jobs, and aging parents. Delaying of the Department of Labor's update to overtime provisions is unfair to workers and their families. It's time now to get on with it and move forward. I urge my colleagues to reject today's rule, vote against this bill and let these long overdue overtime rules for Americans take effect.