Overnight Regulation: Fast-food workers taking wage fight to GOP debate

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Thursday evening here in Washington. Here’s the latest.

THE BIG STORY

Fast food workers will protest outside the Republican presidential debate next week in Milwaukee to bring the issue of a $15 minimum wage to the forefront of American politics.

The protest will be the culmination of nationwide fast food strikes Tuesday organized by the Fight for $15, a Service Employees International Union-backed campaign that aims to increase pay for all low-wage workers.

{mosads}Across the country, fast food workers will strike in 270 cities, but the focus will be on Milwaukee, where Republican presidential candidates could face tough questions about income inequality.

Many GOP candidates have questioned the need for such a steep hike in pay, and the fast food workers hope to show their political muscle during the Republican debate.

“The Fight for $15 has shown it can influence the politics around wages and the economy,” Neera Tanden, president of the Center for American Progress, said in a statement. “This movement is creating a new voting bloc that frankly has too often been ignored by the political process.”

The Fight for $15 has brought fast food workers together with home care, nursing home, child care, grocery store clerks, farm workers, mechanics and truck drivers in hopes of creating a political force that will drive up the minimum wage.

The strikes will simultaneously take place in hundreds of other cities — “from Detroit to Denver, in red states, blue states and swing states” — according to union organizers.

ON TAP FOR FRIDAY

The House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations will hold a hearing to discuss the effects of federal regulations on small firms. http://1.usa.gov/1PpOdVQ

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 138 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Friday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Department of Energy (DOE) will issue new efficiency standards for the construction of certain buildings.

The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy is issuing new construction standards for federal buildings as well as multi-family high-rise residential buildings.

The construction standards will mirror existing industry standards from the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

The rules go into effect in 60 days. http://bit.ly/1RzvcPL

–The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will propose new standards for stationary compression ignition internal combustion engines.

The proposed standards would allow engine operators to override the emission control system in emergency situations “to protect human life.”

The public has 45 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1Rzvd6u

–The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will propose new verification requirements for veteran-owned small businesses.

The VA is looking to root out fraudulent small business owners who claim to be veterans, while making sure the process is not too complicated for actual veterans to comply with.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1kdvMZ6

–The Department of Labor (DOL) will issue new equal opportunity regulations for registered apprenticeship programs.

Apprenticeship programs would be prohibited from discriminating against people on the basis of their sexual orientation, age, or a disability. Federal regulations already protect people in apprenticeship programs from discrimination on the basis on race, gender, or religion.

The public has 60 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1WDdjRn

NEWS RIGHT NOW

Carson under fire for transgender bathroom remarks http://bit.ly/1HuFR8R

Cyber caucus slams groups’ request to oppose legislation http://bit.ly/1l9NZqA

VA targets fraudulent small businesses http://bit.ly/1MLkasT

Dem bill would force mining companies to pay royalty fees http://bit.ly/20xYdBx

Senate Dem demands probe into alleged leak of e-cigarette rules http://bit.ly/1HuOSi4

Justices eye round two in fight over ObamaCare mandate http://bit.ly/1NRMJBZ

Obama’s trade deal would lower tariffs on meat, cars and dairy – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/1WzNiHZ

EPA widens investigation into Colorado mine-waste spill – The AP http://bit.ly/1HuPAMf

BY THE NUMBERS

$15: Minimum wage sought by fast food workers.

270: Cities in which low-wage workers plan to strike next Tuesday.

QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“Mining companies have enjoyed as sweetheart deal for far too long. It’s about time taxpayers got their fair share,” Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) said Thursday, unveiling a bill that would force mining companies to pay royalty fees. 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-release.digital-release.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-release.digital-release.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-release.digital-release.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and @wheelerlydia.

Click here to sign up for the newsletter: http://bit.ly/1pc6tau