Overnight Regulation: Labor chief clashes with GOP on overtime rule

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from the federal agencies, Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Thursday evening here in Washington and the big news of the day was President Obama endorsing Hillary Clinton for president hours after meeting with her rival Bernie Sanders. http://bit.ly/1WH1deK

Here’s the latest.

 

THE BIG STORY

Labor Secretary Tom Perez (D) criticized Republican efforts to roll back a plan by his agency to increase pay for more than 4 million American workers.

“There’s no freedom in making someone work for free,” Perez told reporters Tuesday before a congressional hearing on the overtime rule, which he did not attend. “Work should be paid.”

{mosads}The Labor Department strengthened the overtime rule in May, but Republicans are threatening to overturn it through the Congressional Review Act. They claim businesses will respond to the rule by cutting jobs and hours.

House Labor Chairman John Kline (R-Minn.) said Thursday the overtime rule would “do more harm than good.”

“Thousands of salaried workers will be demoted to hourly status,” said Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.). “These workers will feel as though they’ve taken a step back in their careers when they’re forced to clock their hours, and they’ll no longer have flexible schedules to balance work and family.”

Currently, salaried employees making more than $23,660 each year do not qualify for overtime pay when they work more than 40 hours in a week.

Under the new rule, salaried employees making as much as $47,476 each year would be paid time and a half for overtime hours they work.

The Labor Department estimates this will raise pay for 4.2 million workers.

“When you work extra, you should be paid extra,” Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) said Thursday.

“This modest update will increase income for millions of hard-working Americans, result in workers spending more time with their families,” Scott said.

“We’re standing with the father who is missing precious family time, because his company forces him to come in early and stay late for free,” added. Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.). http://bit.ly/25OjiwP

 

ON TAP FOR FRIDAY 

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power will hold a hearing on the Environmental Protection Agency’s home appliance energy efficiency standards. http://1.usa.gov/1PjfHtD

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health will hold a hearing to discuss solutions for lower patient costs and better care. http://1.usa.gov/1U3jO2n

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 207 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will propose new drinking water guidelines.

The EPA is looking to add drinking water guidelines to the protection action guide for radiological incidents.

The public has 45 days to comment. http://bit.ly/28o0R0u

–The Department of Transportation (DOT) will issue changes to railroad reporting requirements.

The Transportation Department’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will make changes to the national highway-rail crossing inventory reporting requirements.

The changes go into effect immediately. http://bit.ly/24Dge0m

–Financial regulators will propose new incentive-based compensation rules for traders that stem from the Dodd-Frank financial reform law.

The Department of the Treasury, Federal Reserve, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will propose new restrictions on “poorly-structured” incentive-based payments that would “encourage inappropriate risks by certain financial institutions.”

They’re concerned it would hurt the “long-term health of the U.S. economy.”

The public has until July 22 to comment. http://1.usa.gov/1OeJPLL

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW 

Labor chief spars with Republicans on overtime rule http://bit.ly/25OjiwP

Dems vow to fight GOP child nutrition bill http://bit.ly/1ZC0M3x

Supreme Court: Judges can recall dismissed jury http://bit.ly/1Yc6que

Supreme Court rules against Puerto Rico in double jeopardy case http://bit.ly/1U3NONv

GOP lawmaker calls for removal of judge in Stanford case http://bit.ly/1RYloNp

GOP chairman: EPA could ‘restructure every industrial sector’ http://bit.ly/1tdu0ev

FAA won’t test pilots for mental health issues http://bit.ly/1UEIxpK

House panel votes to cut IRS funding http://bit.ly/1rflE4N

Regulators ask banks to double check their cybersecurity http://bit.ly/25PucPr

Health chief makes case to insurers for ObamaCare marketplace http://bit.ly/1XJ1lv2

Who may die? California patients and doctors wrestle with assisted suicide – The New York Times http://nyti.ms/1OeFmIU

Supreme Court orders recusal of judges with ‘significant’ involvement in cases as prosecutors – BuzzFeed http://bzfd.it/1UFQi1r

More Americans are dying each year by accident – The AP http://apne.ws/25OOyrV

 

BY THE NUMBERS

4.2M: Additional workers who will qualify to be paid time-and-a-half under the new overtime rule.

$47,476: New salary threshold to be eligible for overtime.

http://bit.ly/25OjiwP

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“The rapist should do more time for the dastardly deed that he did that night,” Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) said on the House floor. Poe called for removing a judge who sentenced the attacker in the Stanford sexual assault case to 6 months in jail. http://bit.ly/1rfmRsE

 

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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