Steven Holt: “Two of the bills before us this week are just two more bills that will not create jobs, endanger the public health, and…”

“Two of the bills before us this week are just two more bills that will not create jobs, endanger the public health, and waste the time and money of the American people. These bills are trying to block new regulations under the misguided notion that all regulations are bad and prevent economic growth. This misguided approach deliberately ignores that regulations have improved the safety of our children's toys, made our air and water cleaner, and even saved the lives and limbs of our nation's workers. As the AFL-CIO has H.R. 527, the so-called ``Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act'' would expand the reach and scope of the Regulatory Flexibility Act by covering regulations that may have an indirect effect on small businesses and adding a host of new analytical requirements that will make it even more difficult for agencies to take action to protect workers and the public. Almost any action an agency proposes--including something as simple as a guidance document designed to help a business comply with a rule--could be subject to a lengthy regulatory process. While the bill purports to be focused on small business, it would cover more than 99 percent of all employers, including firms in some industries with up to 1,500 workers or $35.5 million in annual revenues. It is a special interest bailout for business. H.R. 3010, the so-called ``Regulatory Accountability Act'', is equally odious.…”