[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 44 (Tuesday, March 14, 2017)]
[Senate]
[Page S1783]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW ACT RESOLUTION

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, already this Senate has passed seven 
resolutions to undo harmful regulations that hold our country back. 
Using the tools provided under the Congressional Review Act, we have 
taken action to stop Obama-era rules that have threatened jobs, our 
economy, and even the success of our students.
  Today, we will have another opportunity to block a regulation, one 
that undermines congressional intent and States' rights. The proposal 
now before us would end the Obama administration's unemployment drug 
testing rule and return power to the States so that they can best 
address this issue at the local level. Congress granted the Labor 
Department authority to design a rule regarding States' ability to 
drug-test citizens applying for unemployment insurance; however, as we 
saw all too often, the Obama administration went beyond its legal 
authority in creating a regulation that severely limits the role of 
State and local governments. That is why we heard from several 
Governors, including those from Mississippi, Wisconsin, Utah, and 
Texas, who called for Congress to overturn this regulation. As they 
said in a recent letter, the Department of Labor should go back to the 
drawing board and put forth ``a new rule that allows increased 
flexibility for States to implement unemployment insurance drug testing 
that best fits the needs of each state.'' With a new, smarter rule, 
these Governors believe their States will be better able to implement 
drug testing for those seeking unemployment insurance and help 
individuals suffering from substance abuse to access necessary care and 
treatment so that they may reenter the workforce as healthy and 
productive members of our society.
  I thank Senator Cruz for his leadership in sponsoring the Senate 
companion to the bill we will vote on today, as well as Senator Cornyn 
and Senator Hatch, the Finance Committee chairman, for working to 
advance this resolution. We should pass it now so that we can restore 
the power back to the States where it belongs.

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