Lois Capps: “Mr. Speaker, I'm sort of troubled that we're here this afternoon. Americans are still facing staggering unemployment…”

“Mr. Speaker, I'm sort of troubled that we're here this afternoon. Americans are still facing staggering unemployment rates and our economy has not yet fully recovered. But instead of focusing on job creation, we're wasting 2 days--and taxpayer dollars--on a resolution directing committees to conduct oversight on government regulations. I have been a Member of Congress for over a decade and I know that committees already do oversight on government regulations. Without prompting, a well-run committee will make sure the government's regulations are necessary and effective at protecting the American people. In fact, the Energy and Commerce Committee, under the leadership of Henry Waxman in the last Congress, did just that. Our committee conducted oversight on the failures that led to the BP oil spill in the gulf and the reckless Wall Street behaviors that caused a near meltdown of our economy. I'm afraid, though, that in this new Congress, American families won't get that same kind of protection.”