Cass Ballenger: “Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2864 will amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act to provide specific statutory authorization and…”

“Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2864 will amend the Occupational Safety and Health Act to provide specific statutory authorization and direction for consultation programs operated by States with the assistance of Federal funding and direction. These programs have in fact been operating for over 20 years. In 1975, OSHA began entering into contracts with the States to provide enforcement consultations for small businesses. The authority which OSHA used for these contracts is the general contracting authority in section 7C(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. In recent years the small business community, State consultation programs and the Clinton administration have all supported amending the Occupational Safety and Health Act to add a specific authorization and direction for the on-site consultation programs. So I am pleased to be able to bring this bill to the House, with bipartisan support in our committee. And with the support of the Clinton administration.”