Directing Committees to Review Regulations from Federal Agencies

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Mr. ISSA. I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Madam Speaker, this week is the 100th anniversary of the birth of Ronald Reagan, and I think it is altogether fitting that we quote Ronald Reagan at a time in which, 30 years from when he said it, we're dealing with the burdens of increasing regulation creating a noncompetitive situation for American workers. It was 30 years ago that America was in a malaise. It was 30 years ago that Americans found themselves without jobs and without hope. It was 30 years ago that they elected Ronald Reagan, a man of hope and conviction to tear down anything that impeded freedom and liberty, including the growth of government, who said:

``Now let there be no misunderstanding. It is not my intention to do away with government. It is, rather, to make it work; work with us, not over us; to stand by our side, not ride on our back. Government can and must provide opportunity, not smother it; foster productivity, not stifle it.''

When our committee put up AmericanJobCreators.com, we thought we might get a few hits. Today, the letters we have received from small and large businesses around the country, giving us with specificity regulations and regulatory excesses that are stifling their ability to create jobs, now is more pages than ObamaCare, more pages than any bill I've ever seen come from here are stacking up with specific problems that America is dealing with here today, whether it's EPA, OSHA, or just regulators who won't give an honest answer to a fair question based on laws in which we require them to provide answers.

America is falling behind and American jobs are suffering. So, Madam Speaker, our committee is dedicated to ensuring that regulatory reform occurs and occurs on our watch.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, as I introduce each of the members of my committee who sat through yesterday's hearing with witnesses on one side giving, in specificity, the problems, the regulations, what were the impediments to farming, to manufacturing and to mining, it is amazing that the gentleman quoted them, the gentleman from the other side of the aisle quoted them, but ignored his own witness who disputed any cost-benefit analysis being appropriate for looking at regulatory reform or even regulatory creation, preferring to simply say that all regulations should be judged on whether they do something, not what they cost.

Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Guinta).

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Mr. ISSA. I was only quoting what the gentleman had said and reiterated that he still supported: Cost-benefit analysis is neither sound in theory nor useful in practice. We asked him. He said he still stands behind that. That's much broader than the gentleman said, I believe.

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Mr. ISSA. Under the rules of the House, isn't it true that the limitation on taking down somebody's words based on casting aspersions or specific actions against an individual, for example, not caring about Americans or wanting children to die for lack of regulation--isn't it true that we can only do that if they cite a person, not the Republican Party as a whole?

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Mr. ISSA. Further parliamentary inquiry, Madam Speaker.

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Mr. ISSA. Would it be in order for me to bring a motion to take down the words based on that accusation that was just made against my entire party, alleging that we want to roll back so that children are not protected and the like?

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Mr. ISSA. Would it be in order for me to make such a demand?

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I think we're bigger than those accusations, regardless of it being likely to have been inappropriate by any standard.

With that, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Buerkle).

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I would like to associate myself with the minority whip's statement that both sides over the years have not done enough. The 30-year buildup of regulatory excess is something that both sides need to take down.

With that, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from Oklahoma (Mr. Lankford).

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, in section 2, article 1, asking for regulations that impede private sector job creation, I'm just sorry the other side doesn't understand. That's not cost; that's jobs.

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, may I inquire, do I have the right to close?

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Mr. ISSA. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.

In closing, Madam Speaker, the American people do not yet really know the CFPB, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, but they probably know better the FCC, the SEC, the FTC, and the Consumer Product Safety Council--and to be honest, I got really tied up in the rest of the letters they put here. None of them, I repeat, none of them, are covered by the President's Executive order. For whatever reason, the President limited his Executive order to the non-independent agencies, not even calling on the independent agencies to begin a review.

Madam Speaker, over the last half hour, we've heard again and again my colleagues on the other side of the aisle saying this is frivolous, it's not necessary. Yesterday, they called the whole hearing with American job creators, many of whom had responded to Americanjobcreators.com, they called it sort of anecdotal, or frivolous, or hyperbole.

Madam Speaker, it's time that we take seriously the loss of American jobs. Today's resolution does have specificity, does deal with the fact that Americans are suffering, and regulations are part of our competitive challenge.

Madam Speaker, I take Steny Hoyer at his word that he supports this and wants to work together. I take the President at his word that it is time to do this review. I don't take the bureaucrats at their word that, like foxes guarding the henhouse, if you go back and tell them to guard again more carefully, that you are any more likely to have anything other than less chickens in the morning.

Madam Speaker, we cannot assume here in the House that over the last 2 years when Democrats controlled the House, the Senate, and the White House and did nothing to reduce regulations--just the opposite, increased them--and that the President, currently who is increasing regulation without one piece of legislation, trying to get card check through the back door and hundreds of other programs far beyond our demand, that if given the mandate to re-regulate what they've regulated, that they won't in fact use it as a chance to expand a liberal agenda in a way that will further hurt the American jobs.

We must be there hand-in-hand with this administration to make sure that every change in regulations is followed up with binding law that will, in fact, help the American people get back to work.

So, Madam Speaker, I am absolutely convinced that this resolution is necessary as a first step to make it clear that the House of Representatives is fully committed to getting Americans working again and AmericanjobÐcreators.com and other sites that are trying to collect this data from people who create jobs in America and the private sector, we are going to continue to gather and disperse those areas that American job creators are finding are impediments to their creating the jobs in America.

Lastly, Madam Speaker, you will hear in the days and weeks to come about corporate profits in America, and you will hear about the great profit growths of some of our best-known corporations. After yesterday's hearing, I went back and checked. Almost to a corporation, the growth in their profits has been disproportionate from overseas earnings, on overseas labor, and overseas development. Meaning, Madam Speaker, do not look to corporate profits as the bellwether. Do not look to the stock market as a bellwether.

American jobs are created when American companies are incentivized and given an opportunity to create jobs in America. That's what this resolution is about today. That's what the hearings and the markups will be in the days and weeks to come. That's the reason why we cannot leave it to bureaucrats behind doors that created these problems. Allow them to, in fact, reevaluate their own sins.

So, Madam Speaker, I am delighted today to support House Resolution 72 and to urge its consideration.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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