Mark Souder: “I would like to explain the content and purpose of this amendment, which I strongly support. This would increase OSHA's…”

“I would like to explain the content and purpose of this amendment, which I strongly support. This would increase OSHA's Compliance Assistance Program by 50 percent, $23 million over the recommended amount of $45 million. Compliance assistance funding has been increased, but the increase has been insufficient. The increase in funding to this vital program would be offset by decreases to funding for Federal enforcement funding by $21 million, there is already $127 million for enforcement in the bill, and executive direction and administration by $2 million, of which there is $6.5 million in the bill. So we would leave the bulk of the enforcement dollars there. We would leave the bulk of the administration dollars there, but would put the dollars toward what we promised to do when we got elected, and that is to try to work more with the businesses and the workers at the factories, at the small businesses and companies around this Nation, to avoid accidents, serious accidents in particular, rather than do the more harassing type of things that we have heard so many stories about on the floor. We have heard a lot from Members here about the importance of health and safety laws. This is not a debate about health and safety laws, this is a debate about how best to protect the safety and health of our American workers. Is it better preserved by harassing or better preserved by working together with the businesses?”