WASHINGTON, DC - House Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) today welcomed the House passage of legislation to fund the federal government for the remainder of FY2011 at significantly reduced levels, fulfilling the GOP commitment to cut spending in order to get the American economy on sound financial footing and spur job creation. The measure approved today addressed a number of key policy issues, prohibiting federal agencies from moving forward on controversial policies related to health care, energy independence, and technology.
“The American people sent us to Washington to cut spending, repeal the health care law, and reduce harmful government regulations -the spending bill the House passed today takes the first step to do just that. I applaud my colleagues on the Energy and Commerce Committee for respecting the will of the American people and introducing amendments to block harmful bureaucratic rules and mandates that stifle the economy and innovation," said Upton.
Among the notable amendments and policies included in the final bill:
Several amendments to prevent federal bureaucracies, such as the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight, HHS, Department of Labor, and Department of the Treasury, from receiving funds to implement the health care law;
An amendment offered by Reps. Greg Walden (R-OR), Cliff Stearns (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), and Tom Graves (R-GA) to prohibit the FCC from regulating the Internet through its network neutrality rules. The amendment is a joint effort by the Appropriations and Energy and Commerce Committees to immediately halt application of these controversial rules to give time for Congress to permanently overturn them through a Resolution of Disapproval under the Congressional Review Act; and
A prohibition on cap and trade-style greenhouse gas regulation under the Clean Air Act, which will stop the EPA from imposing costly policies through regulation that have already been rejected by Congress legislatively.
