[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 135 (Thursday, September 26, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1717-E1718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SMALL BUSINESS REGULATORY RELIEF ACT OF 1996

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 25, 1996

  Mr. BARCIA. Madam Speaker, last week, Congressmen Ewing, Buyer, 
Poshard, and I introduced H.R. 4102, the Farm Transportation Regulatory 
Relief Act. That bill would allow States to provide protection for 
farmers and farm-related service industries from a potentially 
expensive and unnecessary regulation that would bring them under the 
same regulation as the hazardous materials transportation industry. To 
do this, would be a mistake.
  Today, we extend our warmest thanks to Congressman Jim Oberstar, 
ranking democratic member of the Committee on Transportation and 
Infrastructure and Committee Chairman Bud Shuster for recognizing this 
effort and accepting our amendment to H.R. 3153. This change in the 
Small Business Regulatory

[[Page E1718]]

Relief Act will extend States' authority to continue such exceptions 
until Congress can act to responsibly address this issue.
  Madam Speaker, the purpose of the Department of Transportation 
rulemaking is to protect the public from harmful materials on our 
Nation's highways. Farmers, who are merely transporting substances from 
their supplier to the farm are not the ones who are involved in the 
type of accidents which have led the Department of Transportation to 
act. Agricultural transportation of chemical fertilizers, fuels and 
pesticides occurs during specific times of the year, on a much smaller 
basis, on rural roadways and in carriers which are easily identifiable 
to emergency response personnel. We need not complicate the lives of 
our family farmer by linking them with high-volume transporters of 
industrial chemicals.
  This compromise, Madam Speaker, is responsible government in action. 
The amendment which we have accepted today allows Congress a period 
encompassing two planting seasons to carefully weigh the potential 
danger to the public against the burden to our farmers which could 
result from too broad a rulemaking. In order to force the most timely 
action on this matter, my colleagues and I will reintroduce H.R. 4102 
on the first day of the next session. We will work with other members, 
the farm industry, public safety officials and the Department of 
Transportation to assure that the most necessary requirements for 
public safety will be implemented. We owe this to our citizens who rely 
upon us to protect them and to protect their livelihood.

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