Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011

Floor Speech

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Mr. PETERS. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

There is no question that Congress must act immediately to help our Nation's small businesses succeed, create jobs and boost our economy. Unfortunately, instead of moving commonsense legislation to extend the payroll tax cuts for middle class families and enacting the American Jobs Act to help small businesses afford new hires and investments, we are today considering H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act.

This legislation, while well intentioned, is a step in the wrong direction. In addition to making it more difficult for agencies to take action to protect workers and the public, it will also slow down agency guidance that could help create certainty and spur job creation. This bill will create ``paralysis by analysis'' by subjecting any action an agency proposes to a lengthy regulatory process. Even agency guidance issued to small businesses clarifying how well they can comply with existing rules will be slowed down considerably.

This is why I've put forward an amendment to improve this bill and to cut through the additional red tape that it creates when it matters most, which is when new jobs are on the line. My amendment simply says that the new administrative hurdles that this bill creates will not apply to any rule, final rule or guidance that the Director of OMB determines will result in net job creation.

While my Republican colleagues keep repeating the story that new regulations are slowing down our economic growth, this simply isn't the case. A recent study by the National Federation of Independent Businesses of its members found that ``poor sales,'' and not regulation, is the biggest problem facing businesses today.

Effective regulations can promote job growth and put Americans back to work. As someone living in southeast Michigan, I have seen firsthand the way increased fuel economy standards have made American autos more competitive while also saving drivers money on gas and helping our environment. According to the United Auto Workers and the National Resources Defense Council, these new standards have already led to the creation of more than 100,000 jobs.

Whether it is providing small businesses with the guidance they need so that they can have the certainty while making investment and hiring decisions or enacting environmental reforms to help bring about the next generation of green technology, the Federal Government cannot waste any more time dragging its feet when it comes to job creation.

For years, my friends on the other side of the aisle have repeatedly railed against government red tape. But let's be clear: If they oppose this amendment, they will, in fact, be voting to create more red tape and stymie small business job creation.
I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense, pro-jobs amendment.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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