From The Associated Press, 9/15/03:
http://www.adn.com/alaska/story/3927779p-3949955c.html
Alaska senators back Democrats' overtime effort
Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski oppose Bush administration's
changes.
FAIRBANKS --
Both of Alaska's senators backed a move that could derail Bush
administration plans to revamp overtime rules.
Sens. Ted Stevens and Lisa Murkowski were among only six GOP lawmakers
to support a Democratic amendment that would prohibit the
administration from spending money on its proposed new overtime rules.
The amendment, by Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, was tacked onto the annual
Labor Department spending bill.
It was approved 54-45.
"This is the single most vocalized issue we've heard about since the
senator has been in office," said Murkowski spokeswoman Kristin Pugh.
Stevens said Friday that he hadn't heard too much from his
constituents before the vote, but he figured that was because most
knew he opposed the administration's plans.
Murkowski was unable to get assurances from the Labor Department about
how the rules would affect rural Alaska health aides, teacher aides
and some oil pipeline workers, Pugh said.
The new federal rules, proposed by Labor Secretary Elaine Cho in
March, would change which jobs qualify for overtime, expanding extra
pay for many low-income workers and eliminating it for some highly
paid employees.
Labor Department estimates about 1.3 million people would join the
eligible list, while only 640,000 would fall off.
The Bush administration says its changes would create net increases in
the number of workers eligible for overtime pay.
But the Economic Policy Institute, a union-backed research group,
estimates the change would eliminate overtime eligibility for 8
million workers.
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Another 8 million anti-Bush votes in 2004.
Harry
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