The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SUPPORT REINS ACT AND GOP REGULATORY REFORM AGENDA” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H8196 on Dec. 7, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SUPPORT REINS ACT AND GOP REGULATORY REFORM AGENDA
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Smith) for 5 minutes.
Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today about the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny, or the REINS, Act.
This bill, which I have cosponsored, restores accountability to the regulatory process by requiring an up-or-down vote in Congress and the President's signature on any new major rule before it is enforced on the American people.
Over-regulation, Mr. Speaker, is devastating our economy and hindering job growth. Of the current administration's new regulations, 200 are expected to cost more than $100 million each. Seven of those new regulations, however, will cost the economy more than $1 billion each. At the current pace, the current regulatory burden for 2011 alone will exceed $105 billion.
And the Federal Government has created more than 81.9 million hours' worth of paperwork this year alone, costing employers $80 billion just in compliance. It's no wonder a recent Gallup Poll found small business owners citing ``complying with government regulations'' as ``the most important problem'' they face.
Nebraskans have not been immune to the reams of red tape being handed down by Federal regulators. Just yesterday it was reported the city of Grand Island, Nebraska, population 51,000, will be saddled with a $3.2 million compliance cost due to a new Federal emissions regulation. This EPA Cross-State Air Pollution Rule was finalized June 1 and will be enforced January 1.
But this is only one example. There are additional, even more costly rules and unworkable timelines coming down the pike, all of which mean a much longer winter for Americans struggling with high energy costs.
But it doesn't stop there. Recently, the Department of Labor proposed a misguided rule which would restrict youth involvement in agriculture work. Yes, Mr. Speaker, anything from milking cows and feeding calves to hauling and detassling corn would come under fire under the Department's current rule.
Everyone agrees the safety of these young people and workers everywhere is of the utmost importance; but by allowing such heavy-
handed thoughtless regulation, we're greatly restricting opportunities for rural youth. These jobs, often seasonal, teach young people responsibility and the value of hard work; and they're able to earn a little spending money in the process.
I'm also a proud cosponsor of the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011, H.R. 1633, which the House is slated to consider later this week. This bill would prevent the EPA from regulating farm dust, or the type of dust which naturally occurs in rural areas.
Farmers and ranchers already are subject to strict Federal and State regulations to control dust. It makes no sense for the EPA to impose costlier requirements on top of the existing standards. While the EPA has backed off without legislative action, nothing certainly prohibits the agency from regulating farm dust in the future.
During a time of economic hardship, keeping the door open for additional regulatory overreach is not the answer. Actually, I'm often reminded of a meeting I had in southeastern Nebraska with representatives from a Federal agency, good people they are. One of them said it had been more than 20 years since he'd ridden on a gravel road.
For me, this meeting certainly emphasized the disconnect between Washington and rural America. These are only a few examples of the regulatory burden and uncertainty facing Nebraskans who recognize economic growth ultimately depends on job creators, not regulators.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support commonsense regulatory reforms like the REINS Act.
This is yet another step towards increased accountability, improving the regulatory process, and providing certainty for job creators in my home State of Nebraska and in States all across this country.
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