[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 126 (Tuesday, August 1, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H8138-H8139]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                           OSHA REFORM NEEDED

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Norwood] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORWOOD. Mr. Speaker, by now it is no secret that I want to 
change the way OSHA does business. I have come to the floor many times 
to talk about the excesses of OSHA. But our OSHA reform bill is not 
simply about curbing the regulatory excesses of OSHA; our bill seeks to 
restore the freedoms OSHA has taken away.
  Mr. Speaker, allow me to quote from the sixth amendment to the 
Constitution. ``the accused shall enjoy the right * * * to be 
confronted with the witnesses against him.'' Mr. Speaker, under current 
OSHA policy that right does not exist. If OSHA shows up on your 
doorstep today to investigate an alleged violation, you as an employer 
have no right to know who reported a violation. That policy encourages 
OSHA to be used as a tool of disgruntled employees and labor 
negotiators. Our bill will require that employees work with employers 
to correct safety problems. I have heard critics complain that 
employees will be afraid to question workplace safety for fear that an 
employer may take action against them. Maybe these people have 
forgotten about bureaucracies like the National Labor Relations Board 
or the labor lawyers salivating over a case like that. Anyone who 
believes that an employee does not have recourse against an employer 
probably thinks Medicare isn't going bankrupt.
  Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of testifying before the Small 
Business Committee last week on OSHA reform. It reminded me why OSHA 
reform is so important. OSHA regulations strangle small businesses. 
OSHA threatens the livelihood of small business men and women all over 
America. It is just that simple.
  When OSHA sends out a 6-inch thick document on Air Quality, a small 
business owner doesn't say to himself ``Wow! Here's a way for me to 
make my workplace safer for my employees.'' Instead, he says ``How am I 
ever going to figure out what is in here? Will I have to hire someone 
just to figure it out? Is it going to force me to lay-off a worker or 
raise my prices?'' Mr. Speaker, I ask you, is it any wonder that small 
business are terrified of OSHA?
  In my opinion, here lies OSHA's basic flaw * * * OSHA acts as though 
the only people who care about workplace safety live here in 
Washington, DC. Nothing could be further from the truth. Small business 
men and women throughout America are deeply concerned about workplace 
safety. Their employees are often family. Employers want safe 
workplaces. They need help from OSHA. A 6-inch stack of regulations and 
the threat of a costly fine do little to improve workplace safety. A 
new improved OSHA will work with employees to teach them how to make 
the workplaces safer. We must have a carrot to go with the stick OSHA 
has grown so addicted to. OSHA should spend as much of the taxpayers 
money trying to educate employers as they do trying to collect fines.
  Mr. Speaker, I am not convinced that OSHA can ever be reformed. 
However, if it is ever to be reformed, the steps taken in H.R. 1834, 
the OSHA Reform Act, will make a real difference. I strongly encourage 
my colleagues to 

[[Page H8139]]
stand up for workplace safety and co-sponsor H.R. 1834, the OSHA Reform 
Act.


                          ____________________