Directing Committees to Review Regulations from Federal Agencies: House of Representatives

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. I thank the gentleman for yielding.

This resolution directs the House committees to review Federal regulations for their effect on our economy. I agree with this resolution and I will vote for this resolution. In fact, that is an oversight, of course, that committees should in fact be carrying out without this resolution.

Democrats believe that it's important to vigorously review regulations to make sure they are keeping pace with the changing economy, and that's why President Obama has already issued an executive order that calls for such a review.

Where regulations are duplicative, where they stifle innovation and entrepreneurship, where they hold job creation back without protecting consumers, they should be revised or ended.

But let's also remember that Federal regulations keep our drinking water and our air clean, protect our children from unsafe toys and food, put a check on abusive practices of insurance companies and credit card companies, and help control the kind of Wall Street gambling that wrecked our economy just a few years ago.

As a matter of fact, even though regulations were on the books, we know they were not enforced, which led to literally the loss of trillions of dollars by homeowners, individuals and businesses. We want regulations that protect Americans and foster economic growth and will call the committees to review regulations with both of those goals in mind.

There is a reason that the Democrats have worked so hard to pass the Make It In America agenda, an agenda with which I am particularly identified. We need to in that agenda, if we are going to create the environment that I heard one of the Members on this floor talking about that will lead to businesses being able to make things in America and do so profitably, review regulations, review tax policies, and review other government policies to make sure we are competitive in the global marketplace. But we also want to make sure that we have consumers protected, as I said, and the environment protected, because there should not be a trade-off, but a complementary working of the two together.

The new environment the Federal Government ought to work to create will promote growth, jobs, and success of the American people. Make It In America not only means manufacturing it, but it means succeeding in America, succeeding in global markets.

I will, as I said, vote for this resolution. But the test will not be whether this resolution passes or fails. The test will be whether or not in fact we do the work that the American public expects us to do. The test will be whether our economy does succeed under the revisions we have made.

I tell my friends on that side of the aisle, neither one of us have done perhaps the job we should have done.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. CUMMINGS. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. HOYER. But we ought to also be humbled by the fact that during the 30 years that I have been in office, for 20 of those years the Republicans have been in charge of the executive department of government. Just recently they were in charge, as a matter of fact, from 2001 to 2008, when we saw the deepest recession start and flourish and continue into this next administration since the Great Depression.

So let none of us on this floor point the finger at one another. The American people want to see solutions, not angry rhetoric. The American people want to see this economy grow and create the jobs that they need. All of us ought to be committed to that objective, and we ought to project to the American people that we are prepared to come together and work together and legislate together to achieve that end.

As I said, I will vote for this resolution, but the hard work is ahead of us.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has again expired.

Mr. CUMMINGS. I yield the gentleman 30 additional seconds.

Mr. HOYER. Frankly, the adoption of this resolution could have been, as I am sure most of us on this floor know, probably been done by unanimous consent, because what it calls for is our responsibility and is absolutely essential if we are going to create the kind of environment to grow this economy, create the kinds of jobs and be competitive in international markets.

I again thank my friend for yielding the time, and I urge the adoption of this resolution.

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