Sen. Bernie Sanders and Senate Democrats cited advances in artificial intelligence and automation Thursday as they argued for a new bill that would mandate a 32-hour federal workweek.
"The sad reality is Americans now work more hours than the people of any other wealthy nation," the Vermont independent later said.
The bill introduced by the committee chair Sanders and Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., would gradually reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours over four years.
Sanders and Democrats at Thursday's hearing said that reducing the workweek would allow people to spend more time with family and on hobbies.
"This would be napalm upon the fire of inflation," said Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, and the ranking Republican on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Persons:
Bernie Sanders, Sen, Bill Cassidy, Sanders, Laphonza Butler, Mark Takano, Jamie Dimon, Bill Gates, Chris Murphy, Conn, Bill Cassidy of, Mike Braun, Juliet Schor, Schor, Jon Leland, Leland, Liberty Vittert, Vitter, Vittert, St . Louis, Cassidy, They're
Organizations:
Health, Education, Labor, Pensions, Employers, Representatives, JPMorgan, Microsoft, Republican, Boston College, Washington University
Locations:
Dirksen, Washington , DC, Vermont, D, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Indiana, St .