War on Jobs Update: Dems' Mega-Bill May Shut Down Revamped Regulatory Review Process
Job-Killing Amendment Likely to be Tucked Quietly into Giant End-of-Year Spending Bill
Washington,
Dec 12, 2007 -
Congress’ undeclared War on American Jobs may advance in the coming days via the giant “omnibus” spending bill sought by the Democratic majority. Congressional leaders are expected to slip language into their massive year-end bill that would derail a reform initiative aimed at stopping the federal bureaucracy from accidentally imposing unnecessary regulatory burdens on the private sector that destroy jobs and hamper economic growth.
IN DANGER: THE PRO-GROWTH REGULATORY REVIEW INITIATIVE
Poorly-conceived regulations issued by even the most obscure federal agency can result in billions in compliance costs, job losses, and increased prices for consumers. Recognizing this, President George W. Bush on January 18, 2007 issued an executive order requiring all federal regulations to be scrubbed for unintended consequences that could “adversely affect in a material way the economy, a sector of the economy, productivity, competition, jobs, the environment, public health or safety, or State, local, or tribal governments or communities.” One of the purposes of the executive order is to protect American jobs from being mistakenly destroyed by federal regulations that are imposed by bureaucrats without regard to their likely impact on the private sector and the economy.
The original regulatory review process was started in 1993, under President Clinton. The executive order issued by President Bush expanded the initiative to make it more effective, increasing the quality, accountability, and transparency of the government’s regulatory review. But an amendment sponsored by Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) would cut off the money needed to implement the President’s executive order, effectively terminating the newly revamped regulatory review process. The Miller amendment is one of a number of troubling policy changes that will reportedly be tucked into the year-end omnibus spending bill and rammed through Congress with little or no debate.
MILLER AMENDMENT WOULD LEAVE ECONOMY VULNERABLE TO FLAWED REGULATIONS, THREATEN AMERICAN JOBS
Millions of jobs could be put at risk if the Miller Amendment becomes law. The long-term impact of the amendment, if enacted, will be to increase the risk of ill-conceived rules being imposed on the economy by bureaucrats without accountability. House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) underscored this point:
|
“This is the wrong way to go. Government should be transparent and accountable and its senior bureaucrats should not have the power to pick economic winners and losers. This is a ‘fox guarding the hen house’ approach to approving federal rules and regulations which affect every facet of the economy.” |
More than 60 private sector organizations representing millions of American jobs have voiced their opposition to the Miller Amendment. In July they signed a letter to Senators Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Thad Cochran (R-MS) warning that the Miller Amendment would “undermine serious efforts to improve the federal government’s regulatory process.” One of the signatories, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, followed up with another letter on December 5 urging Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) to oppose to the amendment.
The concerns expressed by these nonpartisan organizations are well-founded. It is ultimately workers and employers of all sizes who must bear the compliance burden of excessive, misguided government regulation. While federal regulations and mandates are sometimes necessary, they often bring about unintended consequences that are not adequately considered by politicians and bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Terminating the improved regulatory review process is sure to expose American workers and employers to such consequences, endangering American jobs at a time when families and our economy can least afford it.
READ MORE:
