[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 30 (Thursday, March 8, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E315]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL G. OXLEY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 8, 2001

  Mr. OXLEY. Mr. Speaker, I was unavoidably detained from the House 
floor during last night's vote on S.J. Res. 6 (rollcall vote No. 33). 
Had I been present, I would have voted ``aye,'' as I did on the rule 
earlier in the day.
  OSHA's burdensome and excessively costly ergonomics regulations were 
not based on sound science, and were not subjected to the requisite 
legislative consideration. The estimated cost of compliance for their 
600-page plan to regulate every nook and cranny of American workplaces 
ranged into the hundreds of billions of dollars. No one could even 
guarantee that OSHA's proposal would protect workers from injury--but 
we do know that businesses would have to terminate employees just to be 
able to afford to implement the plan.
  Mr. Speaker, owners of small and large businesses through the Fourth 
Ohio District know the vital importance of maintaining a safe and 
healthy workplace for their employees. Without exception, all of them 
have voluntarily taken steps to protect their workers--without the 
heavy hand of government forcing them to do so. Employers know that 
their productivity will suffer otherwise, as will their workers' 
paychecks.
  I am gratified that our first use of the Congressional Review Act 
will stop these new rules from going into effect, and look forward to 
President Bush's signature on this joint resolution of disapproval.

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