For the fourth time in two years, a court has halted one of President Obama's executive actions. The Democratic president sought to extend overtime pay to 4.2 million American workers starting this December, doubling the maximum salary an employee could make and still get overtime pay to $47,500. U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant stopped that effort in Sherman, Texas on Tuesday, arguing it was beyond the authority of the executive branch.
Twenty-one states and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce joined in a lawsuit against the overtime regulation, arguing that it was too costly for businesses. Some politicians, like Rep. Tom Emmer, agreed and were pleased with the judge's decision.
“Yesterday, a federal judge dealt yet another blow to the Obama Administration’s overreaching regulatory efforts," Emmer said in a statement on Wednesday. "For the fourth time in less than two years, an executive action from President Obama has been halted by the courts, granting relief to business owners across the country. This injunction is a huge win for the hardworking men and women who face the very real threat of reduced workplace flexibility and fewer hours if implemented. I applaud this decision and look forward to rolling back more of the current Administration’s unilateral regulations under President Trump.”
The Labor Department, however, who issued the rule, argues that it is perfectly legal.
Another executive action that Obama has tried and failed to enact was his immigration mandate, which would have shielded millions of illegal immigrants from deportation.
