Does President Bush have the authority to take away people’s overtime pay all by himself?
Yes, but there are limits to his authority, and Congress can stop him. The rules that determine who is eligible and who is not eligible for overtime pay are contained in federal regulations. The president has the authority to revise those eligibility regulations without the involvement of Congress, and that is what President Bush has done. If Congress does not intervene, Bush’s new overtime cuts will start to take effect Aug. 23, 2004. But even after Aug. 23, Congress still has the power to pass legislation repealing the Bush overtime cuts. In other words, whatever Congress does trumps whatever President Bush does, but President Bush can get his way if Congress does not act. There have been repeated attempts in Congress to pass legislation protecting workers’ overtime rights, but so far President Bush and his allies in Congress have blocked legislation that would provide an overtime guarantee. When Congress returns in September, there will be attempts to get the House of Representative
