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Mar. 7th, 2001
I hate George W Bush.
Mar. 7th, 2001 10:22 pmCongress sends Bush repeal of Clinton-era workplace rules
By David Espo, Associated Press, 03//01
WASHINGTON -- Congress voted Wednesday to repeal new workplace rules aimed at curbing repetitive motion injuries, the first legislative accomplishment for business-friendly Republicans who won control of the White House and Congress last year.
The measure cleared the House on a largely party line vote of 223-206, less than 24 hours after Senate passage. Democrats and organized labor protested vociferously, but President Bush has signaled he will sign it.
"There's a sure way to make all the injuries go away, and that's to make all the jobs go away," said Rep. Anne Northup of Kentucky, one of numerous Republicans who argued that the rules would impose prohibitive compliance costs on business.
"Elections have consequences," countered Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. "And today the Republican leadership starts down the road of what I believe will be a long list of repealing worker rights."
The vote was still in progress when the White House sought to reassure its critics. "This administration is committed to protecting the health and safety of workers," it said in a statement. "That's why the Department of Labor will pursue a comprehensive approach to addressing this issue. There is a real concern about the overly burdensome current rules because of the negative impact they would have on jobs and economic growth."
The regulations were aimed at preventing carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and other health problems associated with repetitive motion, awkward postures, contact stress and other on-the-job conditions. The rules did not cover trips, falls or other on-the-job accidents.
The rules, strongly backed by organized labor, were issued shortly before former President Clinton left office.
After letting Republicans in Congress take the lead in the repeal effort, the White House announced its support on Tuesday. In the House, The repeal was backed by 206 Republicans, 16 Democrats and one independent. Voting in opposition were 192 Democrats, 13 Republicans and one independent. The 56-44 vote Tuesday night in the Senate was similarly along party lines.
Issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the regulations covered 102 million workers at 6.1 million work sites. The agency said they would prevent 4.6 million musculoskeletal disorders, and mean average annual savings to business of $9.1 billion in the first 10 years they were in effect. Businesses were given until October to comply.
Opponents of the regulations put the real cost much higher -- as much as $100 billion a year in compliance expenses, and said state worker compensation laws would be pre-empted in some cases.
Democrats expressed outrage that Republicans permitted only one hour of debate for legislation overturning regulations that had been under study for a decade. "It's reprehensible," said Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt, particularly since the House floor was idle for three hours during the day.
"We've debated this issue for 10 years," said Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, in reply. "The bureaucracy never listened" to concerns raised by Republican lawmakers.
The lobbying was intense. One organization, the National Federation of Independent Business, said it had sent faxes to 70,000 of its members in 30 states, urging them to contact members of Congress whose votes were pivotal.
Organized labor pressured lawmakers to sustain the regulations, flying in workers whose health had been severely damaged because of repetitive motion injuries on the job.
The arguments on and off the House floor reflected the political lineup from last fall's elections -- Republicans taking the side of the business interests who help finance their campaigns and Democrats making the case for labor unions who provide money for theirs.
Republican aides said other factors were at work in the decision to move swiftly.
Bush, attempting to keep his tax cut to $1.6 trillion, is hoping to discourage business organizations from pressing lawmakers to add an expensive capital gains tax cut. These aides said that killing the OSHA rules would be a political gesture to these same groups, as well as relief amounting to tens of billions of dollars a year by their own estimate.
The effort to craft regulations dates back a decade, and the Clinton administration clashed periodically with Republicans over the issue.
"What is it about the Democratic Party that they think the wizards of Oz are in Washington, D.C., and they should dictate to people all over the country?" said Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga.
He said repeal of the legislation would "let the current administration try to make some sense, some common sense, out of another bureaucratic nightmare in Washington."
Not so, said Democrats. "Republicans have wasted no time in attempting to repeal worker safety standards," said Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. "I'm surprised they would move so quickly and blatantly."
By David Espo, Associated Press, 03//01
WASHINGTON -- Congress voted Wednesday to repeal new workplace rules aimed at curbing repetitive motion injuries, the first legislative accomplishment for business-friendly Republicans who won control of the White House and Congress last year.
The measure cleared the House on a largely party line vote of 223-206, less than 24 hours after Senate passage. Democrats and organized labor protested vociferously, but President Bush has signaled he will sign it.
"There's a sure way to make all the injuries go away, and that's to make all the jobs go away," said Rep. Anne Northup of Kentucky, one of numerous Republicans who argued that the rules would impose prohibitive compliance costs on business.
"Elections have consequences," countered Rep. Robert Menendez, D-N.J. "And today the Republican leadership starts down the road of what I believe will be a long list of repealing worker rights."
The vote was still in progress when the White House sought to reassure its critics. "This administration is committed to protecting the health and safety of workers," it said in a statement. "That's why the Department of Labor will pursue a comprehensive approach to addressing this issue. There is a real concern about the overly burdensome current rules because of the negative impact they would have on jobs and economic growth."
The regulations were aimed at preventing carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis and other health problems associated with repetitive motion, awkward postures, contact stress and other on-the-job conditions. The rules did not cover trips, falls or other on-the-job accidents.
The rules, strongly backed by organized labor, were issued shortly before former President Clinton left office.
After letting Republicans in Congress take the lead in the repeal effort, the White House announced its support on Tuesday. In the House, The repeal was backed by 206 Republicans, 16 Democrats and one independent. Voting in opposition were 192 Democrats, 13 Republicans and one independent. The 56-44 vote Tuesday night in the Senate was similarly along party lines.
Issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the regulations covered 102 million workers at 6.1 million work sites. The agency said they would prevent 4.6 million musculoskeletal disorders, and mean average annual savings to business of $9.1 billion in the first 10 years they were in effect. Businesses were given until October to comply.
Opponents of the regulations put the real cost much higher -- as much as $100 billion a year in compliance expenses, and said state worker compensation laws would be pre-empted in some cases.
Democrats expressed outrage that Republicans permitted only one hour of debate for legislation overturning regulations that had been under study for a decade. "It's reprehensible," said Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt, particularly since the House floor was idle for three hours during the day.
"We've debated this issue for 10 years," said Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, in reply. "The bureaucracy never listened" to concerns raised by Republican lawmakers.
The lobbying was intense. One organization, the National Federation of Independent Business, said it had sent faxes to 70,000 of its members in 30 states, urging them to contact members of Congress whose votes were pivotal.
Organized labor pressured lawmakers to sustain the regulations, flying in workers whose health had been severely damaged because of repetitive motion injuries on the job.
The arguments on and off the House floor reflected the political lineup from last fall's elections -- Republicans taking the side of the business interests who help finance their campaigns and Democrats making the case for labor unions who provide money for theirs.
Republican aides said other factors were at work in the decision to move swiftly.
Bush, attempting to keep his tax cut to $1.6 trillion, is hoping to discourage business organizations from pressing lawmakers to add an expensive capital gains tax cut. These aides said that killing the OSHA rules would be a political gesture to these same groups, as well as relief amounting to tens of billions of dollars a year by their own estimate.
The effort to craft regulations dates back a decade, and the Clinton administration clashed periodically with Republicans over the issue.
"What is it about the Democratic Party that they think the wizards of Oz are in Washington, D.C., and they should dictate to people all over the country?" said Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Ga.
He said repeal of the legislation would "let the current administration try to make some sense, some common sense, out of another bureaucratic nightmare in Washington."
Not so, said Democrats. "Republicans have wasted no time in attempting to repeal worker safety standards," said Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. "I'm surprised they would move so quickly and blatantly."
