"The Fair Labor Standards Act currently requires employers to pay workers time-and-a-half when they work more than 40 hours per week.  H.R. 1119 would allow employers to pay workers nothing for overtime work at the time it is performed, in exchange for a promise of compensatory time off in the future.  Rather than improving the economy and creating good-paying jobs, this legislation would worsen the trend toward lower wages for everyone. 

"Right now nearly nine million Americans are unemployed.  Those who do find work take an average of five months to do so, and 17 percent of them have to accept a job with less pay.  Health insurance premiums are skyrocketing, pensions are disappearing, and salaries are shrinking. 

"Amid these conditions, with our working families struggling to make ends meet, Congress was considering this bill that will erode wages for everyone.  I am pleased to say, that effort was unsuccessful, and after strong opposition, the bill was pulled from consideration.  This was a victory for Arkansas’s working families, and I want you to know that I will continue to fight any legislation that threatens their livelihood."

“The last-minute change to the recent tax cut that left our working families out was shameful,” Ross said.  “It is simply wrong to enact a tax cut in the name of economic relief and not give that relief to hard-working families struggling to make ends meet and provide for their children.  While I voted against the overall tax cut last month, I have always supported extending the child tax credit because it helps families who need it most.  This legislation will correct the unfair distribution, ensuring that some 76,000 working families in Arkansas who make between $10,500 to $26,625 per year will receive the same tax cut currently offered to 25 million other families.”

The Working Taxpayer Fairness Restoration Act broadens the eligibility for the child tax credit to 132,000 children in Arkansas. The proposal would accelerate the scheduled increase in the refundability of the child tax credit from 10 percent to 15 percent of earnings, ensuring that 6.5 million working families will be included in the child tax credit.

The recent tax cut package omitted families who earn between $10,500 and $26,625 a year from receiving the child tax credit available to other income brackets, including some of the wealthiest Americans. 

The new legislation provides relief for our working families without adding a penny to the deficit by closing corporate loopholes that allow corporations to use tax shelters or avoid taxes by moving their headquarters offshore.

“This is wonderful news for our veterans who have dedicated their lives to defending our freedom,” Ross said.  “Our veterans depend on the services of the VA system, especially when it comes to their health.  For years, they have had to travel as far as Little Rock, Fayetteville, or even Shreveport, Louisiana to receive care.  We have worked hard to secure approval for this site; the new outpatient clinic in Mena will serve thousands of veterans in the area.  The implementation process has already started, meaning our veterans are one step closer to enjoying the convenience and quality care of the Mena clinic.” 

As a member of the House Financial Services Committee, Mike Ross joined other members of the Blue Dog Coalition in ringing the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday.