Rigell Votes to Get Government Out of the Way of America's Job Creators
Washington,
Jul 26, 2012 -
House Passes Comprehensive Package Reducing Regulatory Burden on Small Businesses
Washington – As part of his consistent and diligent effort to support America’s job creators, today Representative Scott Rigell (VA-2) voted for and the House passed H.R. 4078, the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act. The legislative package places a freeze on all new significant regulations that negatively affect the economy until the national unemployment rate drops to at least six percent and cuts red tape for consideration of federal permits for construction projects. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
“The answer to our nation’s most challenging fiscal issues begins with letting entrepreneurs do what they do best: innovate, build businesses, and create jobs,” said Rigell, who spent more than 25 years in business before serving in Congress. “I know from personal experience that the best thing the government can do for these hard working Americans is to get out of the way.
“That’s what this bill does, and it is what we in the House of Representatives have been doing since this session of Congress started: removing burdensome, expensive, and often redundant government regulations from the engine that drives our economy – the American entrepreneur.”
Specifically, the bill:
• Prohibits any federal agency from taking any significant regulatory action until the Secretary of Labor reports that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) average of monthly unemployment rates for any quarter after the enactment of this Act is 6% or less.
• Defines “significant regulatory action” as any regulatory action that is likely: (1) to have an annual cost to the economy of $100 million or more or to adversely affect the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, small entities, communities, or state, local, or tribal governments; (2) to create a serious inconsistency or otherwise interfere with another agency's action; (3) to materially alter the budgetary impact of entitlements, grants, user fees, or loan programs or the rights and obligations of recipients thereof; or (4) to raise novel legal or policy issues.
• Permits an agency to take a significant regulatory action notwithstanding such prohibition if the President determines by executive order that such action is necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, necessary for the enforcement of criminal laws, necessary for U.S. national security, or issued to implement an international trade agreement. Provides for congressional approval of presidential requests for a waiver of such prohibition for other actions that do not meet such criteria but that are necessary to protect the public health, safety, or welfare.
• Allows judicial review of: (1) any regulatory action taken in violation of this Act that adversely affects or aggrieves any individual, and (2) any determination by either the President or the Secretary of Labor under this Act. Allows a court to suspend the granting of relief under this Act if the court finds by a preponderance of the evidence that the application or enforcement of a significant regulatory action is required to protect against an imminent and serious threat to U.S. national security. Sets forth provisions relating to: (1) the allowance of reasonable attorney's fees for certain small businesses that prevail in any civil action arising under this Act, and (2) the period for initiating a civil action under this Act.
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