Information about the vote from special interest groups and other information providers in our Report Cards:
Associated Builders and Contractors
Rejecting the Clinton Ergonomics Regulation.
Ergonomics Rule Disapproval Resolution: Senate passed S.J. Res. 6, providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, relating to ergonomics.Public Citizen Congress Watch
Worker Safety Rule Overturned.
This vote overturned an ergonomics regulation that became effective on January 16, 2001. The regulation, promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), protected workers from repetitive motion injuries. The workplace protection was unpopular with the business community, and immediately after taking office, the Bush Administration and Congressional Republicans set out to overturn it. Following an intense campaign by the business community, the Senate passed a resolution of disapproval pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, not only sounding the death knell of the ergonomics rule, but also barring OSHA from drafting another regulation in “substantially the same form.” Passed.AFL-CIO
ERGONOMICS - S.J. Res. 6.
In November 2000, after more than a decade of struggle by workers and their unions demanding federal rules to prevent crippling repetitive stress injuries in the workplace, the Occupation Safety and Health Administration issued the nation’s first workplace ergonomics standard. But business and congressional allies, with the support of the newly installed Bush administration, renewed their decade-long fight against the standard.
Using the Congressional Review Act (CRA) for the first time ever, the Senate overturned the ergonomics standard. It was the first time in OSHA’s 30-year history that Congress nullified one of its safety standards. The CRA “resolution of disapproval” vote not only eliminated the ergonomic standard, it also prohibited OSHA from issuing another similar rule unless Congress gives the agency specific permission to act. The measure passed.
Americans for Democratic Action
SJ Res 6. Ergonomics Rule Disapproval.
Passage of a joint resolution to reverse the ergonomics workplace safety rule submitted by the Clinton Administration’s Labor Department. Passed.U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Ergonomics Regulations.
The Senate voted to overturn the Occupational Health and Safety Administration's (OSHA) ergonomics rule. Likewise, on March 7, 2001, the House voted 223-206 to disapprove the rule. On March 20, 2001, the President signed the Joint Resolution of Disapproval into law, thereby invalidating the ergonomics standard. OSHA issued the controversial rule shortly before President Clinton's term ended early in 2001. The standard - which purportedly sought to reduce workplace injuries - consumed more than 600 pages in the Federal Register and covered 102 million employees, 18 million jobs, and 6.1 million businesses of all types and sizes. It was expected to cost businesses nearly $100 billion a year, resulting in higher prices for consumer products and services.
This regulation was issued despite agreement among leading scientists and medical practitioners that not enough is known about ergonomics injuries - what causes them and how to prevent them - to warrant a regulation of this size and scope. Upon issuance of the regulation, a coalition led by the U.S. Chamber strongly urged Congress to overturn the standard. In voting for repeal, the House and Senate for the first time invoked the 1996 Congressional Review Act, which authorizes Congress to repeal any government regulation within 60 session days of its official publication.
The International Association of Machinists
Ergonomics Rule Disapproval.
The Senate passed S.J. Res. 6, providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, relating to ergonomics.
Republican Liberty Caucus (Economic Liberty)
Ergonometrics.
To disapprove the rule submitted by the Dept. of Labor during the Clinton Admin.National Federation of Independent Business
Ergonomics Rule Disapproval.
Sponsored by Sen. Don Nickles, ROkla.,
this joint resolution stated that the
ergonomics rule submitted by the Labor
Department under the Clinton administration
had no force or effect.Citizens Against Government Waste
S. J. RES. 6: Ergonomics Rule Disapproval Passage.
The Senate disapproved the Clinton administration's ergonomics rule.United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers
WORKER SAFETY.
The Senate voted to nullify the ergonomics regulations initiated by the Labor Department in December 2000 (SJ Res 6). These regulations would have protected the health and safety of millions of working people from crippling repetitive motion injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
Eliminate Ergonomic Health and Safety Standard.
The Senate passed a resolution to rescind OSHA's ergonomics rule, which organized labor fought to implement for over 10 years. The ergonomics rule was an important health and safety rule which protected workers from painful worksite injuries. Resolution passed.
International Union, UAW
Senate Repeals Ergonomics Protection.
The UAW and the rest of the labor movement worked for more than a decade to establish an OSHA ergonomics standard to protect workers from repetitive motion injuries. But soon after it took office the Bushadministration backed a Congressional disapproval resolution repealing this vital workplace health and safety protection. The Senate passed this resolution.
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
Repeal of Ergonomics Standard.
The Senate caved-in to business interests and voted in March to kill the ergonomics standard that was recently issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). After 10 long years of work to develop a safety and health standard protecting American workers from carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive motion injuries, the U.S. Senate debated for only 10 hours, and ultimately voted (S.J.Res. 6) to repeal this important worker safety regulation. AFSCME opposed the resolution, which passed the Senate.Service Employees International Union
Ergonomics Rejected (S.J. Res. 6).
On March 6, 2001 the U.S. Senate rejected the rule submitted by the Department of Labor under chapter 8 of the title 5, United States Code, which would have protected millions of workers from repetitive strain injuries (S.J. Res. 6), the vote passed. Six Democrats crossed and voted with the Republicans defeating this rule were Baucus (D-MT), Breaux (D-LA), Hollings (D-SC), Landrieu (D-LA), Lincoln (D-AR), and Miller (D-GA).American Public Health Association
Overturn OSHA ergonomics standard - S. J. Res. 6.
A joint resolution
that would provide
for congressional disapproval
of the ergonomics
rule submitted to the U.S.
Department of Labor during
the Clinton administration.
The resolution
repeals the rule through
the use of the Congressional
Review Act. Passed.
APHA opposed all efforts
to undermine the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration’s ergonomics
standard. The scientific
evidence behind reducing
and eliminating workplace
injuries is clear. The Institute
of Medicine recently
released a report on musculoskeletal
disorders and
the workplace. The report
found a strong link
between exposure to
ergonomic hazards in the
workplace and musculoskeletal
disorders. The
scientific evidence also
showed that the injuries
could be prevented. Relevant
APHA policy: 9703.Democrats.com
Overturn President Clinton's Workplace Safety Standards.
All 50 Republicans (and 6 Democrats) voted down workplace regulations introduced by President Clinton to prevent repetitive motion injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome. "OSHA said compliance could cost businesses $4.5 billion annually. OSHA said the rule would prevent 460,000 work-related injuries a year, and the savings from fewer injuries and higher productivity [as much as $9.1 billion annually] would exceed the cost." In making their case, Republicans and their corporate paymasters outrageously inflated the annual business costs to over $100 billion per year. To push through the repeal, Republicans used a "special resolution of disapproval," which Sen. Kennedy (D-MA) called a "stealth tactic." Unfortunately, similar tactics are expected from House Republicans. Rep. George Miller (D-CA) declared that "this is about shortcutting the deliberative process." Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) lamented, "I'm afraid that this (resolution) and this debate really tell us that working people are in for a tough time over the next four years." To be less polite, working Americans are getting hammered.Business and Professional Women/USA
Disapproval of the Recent Ergonomics Rule.
A joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of the rule submitted by the Department of Labor under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, relating to ergonomics.
The Senate approved a resolution that would provide for congressional disapproval of the ergonomics rule submitted by the Labor Department during the Clinton Administration, stating that the rule would have no force or effect.
This group supports ergonomics legislation, such as the rules submitted by the Labor Department under the Clinton Administration, which protect employees from injury while on the job.