By Moira Warburton and Josephine Walker
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Casar of Texas held a hunger strike in Congress on Tuesday to protest a new law signed by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott that restricts local regulations authorizing water breaks for workers.
Casar, whose district includes parts of Austin and San Antonio, Texas, said he would not drink water for eight hours while standing on the steps of the US Capitol building, as temperatures in Washington rose to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C).
The day before, more than 100 Democrats signed a letter to the administration of President Joe Biden, asking for regulations on heat protection in the workplace.
“It’s challenging and it’s hot, but not as hot as Texas,” said Casar, who was sweating from the humidity. Temperatures in Casar County were expected to top 100°F (38°C) on Tuesday.
Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries called Abbott’s rule “absurd, unconscionable and un-American.”
Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The law bars cities from writing local laws that override state laws, an effort by Texas Republicans to limit the power of local Democratic lawmakers to make their own policies.
The cities of Houston and Austin are suing the Texas state government over the bill, which is set to take effect in September.
Jasmine Granillo, whose family successfully lobbied the city of Dallas to implement a mandatory water break in 2015 after her brother died of heatstroke while working on a residential construction project, said Abbott’s law “takes away what my family fought for.”
(Reporting by Moira Warburton and Josephine Walker; Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Berkrot)
Copyright 2023 Thomson Reuters.
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