Senate Dems fight Bush Overtime Rules Change

Senate Foes, Supporters of Bush Overtime Rules Maneuver Over Vote
By Alan Fram Associated Press Writer
Published: Sep 9, 2003

WASHINGTON (AP) - Tuesday was a rare late-summer day at the Capitol: The temperature was delightful, the Senate was debating an important bill, and all four Democratic senators running for president were in town to vote.

But with Democrats believed to have a chance for a slim victory, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist refused to allow an afternoon vote on their drive to block a Bush administration proposal changing who would qualify for overtime pay.

After hours of talks, the two sides planned a vote for Wednesday morning, when Democrats predicted they would prevail with three of their four presidential contenders expected at the Capitol. But that came after Republicans insisted that as the Senate majority, they - not Democrats - would set its schedule.

"People are frustrated that because of presidential politics the Senate comes to a halt," Frist, R-Tenn., told reporters. He added, "It's the one day over a few hours that the four presidential candidates are back. We can't run the United States Senate that way."

Led by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, Democrats were trying to add language blocking the overtime rules to a routine spending bill providing $137.6 billion for next year's labor, education and health programs.

In a game of tit-for-tat, without an agreement setting a time for the overtime vote, Democrats had dragged their feet on letting the Senate finish debating that spending bill. With the roll call on overtime scheduled, the two sides agreed to try completing the entire bill by Wednesday night.

"They want our cooperation to finish the bill," Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., told reporters. "We'd like to provide it. But we need their cooperation to allow us an opportunity to vote when our presidential candidates are here. I don't think that's too much to ask."

One of the last impediments to scheduling the overtime vote Wednesday was Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said aides from both parties, speaking on condition of anonymity. McConnell, the No. 2 Senate Republican, is married to Labor Secretary Elaine Chao, whose agency proposed the new rules.

Republicans have a slender 51-48 Senate majority, plus a Democratic-leaning independent.

Though 14 months from the 2004 presidential elections, campaigning has become a frequent activity for Democratic Sens. John Edwards of North Carolina, Bob Graham of Florida, John Kerry of Massachusetts and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut.

The four were in town for much of Tuesday because a Democratic presidential debate was scheduled for the evening in nearby Baltimore. All but Lieberman were expected back at the Capitol on Wednesday morning, Democrats said.

The long-anticipated showdown on overtime has been the focus of a head-to-head lobbying fight between labor, which opposes the new overtime rules, and business interests, which support them.

The proposed regulations will take effect, perhaps by early next year, unless a law is enacted to block them. The rules, which the administration proposed in March, would redefine which workers qualify for time-and-a-half pay after working a 40-hour week.

Democrats contend the proposal would cost 8 million workers the chance to earn overtime pay and is a bid by President Bush to help his corporate allies. Republicans say the rules would end overtime for at least 644,000 white-collar workers and are a needed revamp of regulations first laid out in 1938.

In July, House Democrats lost their bid to derail the overtime rules by 213-210 after the White House threatened a veto.