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March 1, 1999
(House)


H.R. 221 - Amending the Fair Labor Standards Act
to Permit Certain Youth to Perform Certain Work
with Wood Products
(Pitts (R) PA and 16 cosponsors)

The Administration has deep respect for the cultural and religious traditions of the Amish and similar communities, and recognizes the well-intentioned efforts of the bill's sponsors to accommodate these traditions. The Administration, however, has serious concerns that H.R. 221 could:
  • expose young workers to sawmills and other hazardous workplaces in the wood processing industry, which has an occupational fatality rate nearly five times higher than the national private-industry average; and

  • run afoul of the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment.

Pay-As-You-Go Scoring

H.R. 221 would reduce receipts; therefore, it is subject to the pay-as-you-go requirement of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990. The Office of Management and Budget's preliminary scoring estimate is that the net reduction would be insignificant.