Overnight Regulation: Republicans take on Obama overtime regs

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Thursday evening here in Washington where everyone is shocked that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) dropped out of the race for Speaker. 

Here’s the latest:

 

THE BIG STORY

Republicans attacked one of the Obama administration’s key labor policies Thursday.

In a hearing to examine the Department of Labor’s proposed overtime rule, Republicans aired their frustrations with the Obama administration’s regulatory agenda.

“We’re drowning these businesses in regulation,” Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.) said at the hearing. “Between the Affordable Care Act, between the limit to access to capital under Dodd-Frank, all these things are well intentioned, but they are significant constraints on small business.”

{mosads}The overtime rule “is just more icing on the cake,” he added.

The Labor Department proposed expanding the number of people who qualify for overtime pay in June.

Currently, employees who make more than $23,660 a year may not qualify for time-and-a-half pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week. The Labor Department is seeking to raise that level to $50,440, so millions of additional workers will qualify.

The Labor Department is expected to finalize the rule by 2016.

Democrats say it will raise millions of hard-working Americans out of poverty. But Republican complain the overtime rules will hurt the bottom line of many businesses and force them to cut jobs.

Or as Rice puts it, the overtime rules will “smother” small businesses in regulation.

But Democrats contest the notion that regulations are hurting the economy.

“I just don’t think we can say that what’s killing jobs is regulation,” said Rep. Mark Takai (D-Hawaii). “We had a huge thing called the Great Recession that had a huge impact on employment.”

 

ON TAP FOR FRIDAY 

The House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Space will hold a hearing to discuss deep space explorations and what impact the President’s budget has had. http://1.usa.gov/1Z3qYoO

House Democrats, including Rep. Luis Gutiérrez (D-IL) will introduce a resolution calling for the United States to adopt a Children’s Bill of Rights.

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 200 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Department of Energy (DOE) will meet to discuss efficiency standards for refrigerators.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has established a refrigeration working group that reviews efficiency standards. The group is scheduled to hold a teleconference on Oct. 13. http://bit.ly/1MhVDK5

–The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will clarify rules for telemarketers.

The clarification addresses “consumers’ rights to stop unwanted robocalls, including both voice calls and text messages” under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the agency writes. http://bit.ly/1LCqIt8

–The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will delay new air pollution regulations.

The EPA proposed new test methods and performance specifications for air emission sources last month but is extending the comment period to give the public more time to discuss the changes.

The public will have until Dec. 9 to comment. http://bit.ly/1jRveYu

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW

House lawmakers urged to fund juvenile justice programs http://bit.ly/1MhJEfC

Dem lawmaker hints at ease of sneaking cameras in SCOTUS http://bit.ly/1LC8YxV

Dems push TSA to reform transgender screening procedures http://bit.ly/1FV36he

Senate Dems unveil new gun control push http://bit.ly/1LC9hJ6

Poll: Workplace rights a rising issue among voters http://bit.ly/1LoThny

Libertarians take aim at ‘elite island’ of federal employment – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/1Oo25AI

‘Bird’s-eye views’ of the skies net drone company a record fine from FAA – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/1OkaXHQ

VW may compensate owners of diesel cars for loss value – The AP http://bit.ly/1GyE3v0

 

BY THE NUMBERS

84: Percent of millennials, people of color and unmarried women who support a plan to expand access to childcare. 

75: Percent of all voters who back such a plan.

68: Percent of millennials, people of color and unmarried women voters who would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported expanding access to childcare

56: Percent of voters overall who would be more likely to back such a candidate.

Source: A poll released Thursday from advocacy group Make It Work. http://bit.ly/1jeK1MH

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“This is administration is tone deaf when it comes to actually helping small businesses,” — Rep. Cresent Hardy (R-Nev.).

 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and@wheelerlydia.

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