[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 7 (Wednesday, February 2, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: February 2, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                EPA SHOULD ISSUE COST-BENEFIT ESTIMATES

  (Mr. WALSH asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, what is the Democratic leadership of the 
House afraid of? Is it afraid that some measure of reason might be 
incorporated into environmental regulations? Is it afraid that the $140 
billion burden on Americans due to environmental regulations might be 
reduced? Are they afraid that American businesses might become more 
competitive in the global market?
  These are the questions I must ask myself when trying to figure out 
the reason that the Democrat controlled Rules Committee refuses to let 
House Members even consider an amendment that would require a new 
Department of Environmental Protection to issue cost/benefit estimates 
for its regulations.
  Mr. Speaker, while there are manifold documented cases of pointless 
environmental regulations, and while environmental regulations cost 
State and local governments between $30 and $40 billion a year in 
unfunded mandates, Members are prohibited from addressing this problem 
by yet another restrictive rule.
  The rejected Mica-Thurman amendment would have answered the cries for 
regulatory relief made by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the U.S. 
Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau, and other groups. But, because 
the Democrat leadership has so chosen, small businesses' cries for 
relief will continue to go unanswered.

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