[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 21, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H5308-H5309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       PRESIDENT CLINTON AND OSHA

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)

[[Page H5309]]

  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, it was 1 year ago that President Clinton 
announced his plans to reinvent OSHA.
  The new OSHA, according to the President's speech, would rely less on 
enforcement, more on partnerships. It would use common sense in 
regulations, so that the most benefits could be achieved with the least 
burden. And the new OSHA would focus on results, not redtape by 
focusing on hazards not paperwork and evaluating personnel on 
improvements in safety rather than penalties.
  Mr. President, that was a good speech. But not much has happened 
since then. Why not? The head of OSHA answered that question a few days 
ago: ``There are a lot of people who doubt this direction, including 
people inside the organization [OSHA].''
   Mr. President, you have an opportunity to say to your opponents on 
OSHA reinvention that you actually meant what you said. I've introduced 
H.R. 3234. All it does is take your ideas on reinventing OSHA, even 
your words, and put them in law.
  So what will it be, Mr. President? Did you mean what you said 1 year 
ago?

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