[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 188 (Thursday, December 8, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2208]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     REGULATIONS FROM THE EXECUTIVE IN NEED OF SCRUTINY ACT OF 2011

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                               speech of

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 7, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 10) to amend 
     chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that 
     major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or 
     effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into 
     law:

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Chair, I rise today to oppose H.R. 10, the 
Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.
  This bill is another instance of the Republican Majority playing 
politics, rather than focusing on passing legislation that creates 
jobs, grows our economy, and protects the American people. Requiring 
that Congress approve all agency rules and regulations with an annual 
economic cost of $100 million or more would not only handicap our 
government's ability to regulate health and safety laws, it would also 
distract Congress from addressing pressing issues like job creation, 
national security and reducing our deficit. After an entire year in 
which the Republican Majority has demonstrated an inability to take up 
a productive legislative schedule--forcing last-minute votes on 
critical issues and not even introducing any kind of serious jobs 
agenda--it seems ludicrous to suggest that Congress should be spending 
its time nitpicking federal agencies about enacting regulations that 
Congress has authorized or ordered be done.
  Additionally, this bill would actually harm job creation and hurt 
businesses. By creating a scenario in which regulations are proposed, 
and then potentially overridden, and then potentially proposed yet 
again in a new form, businesses will be forced to spend significant 
time and resources just keeping track of all the changes--decreasing 
their productivity and bottom line. This will create uncertainty for 
businesses and harm job creation--the very thing that the Republican 
Majority asserts that this bill will prevent. This is nothing more than 
blatant political posturing, as evidenced by the fact that Congress 
already has the authority to review and override federal rules under 
the Congressional Review Act.
  The fact is that federal agencies need to be able to issue rules in a 
timely and efficient manner to protect the health and welfare of the 
American people and help grow our economy. Industries and individuals 
in areas from finance to farming rely on rulemaking and regulations to 
facilitate their businesses, and this bill would undermine that. I urge 
a no vote.

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