[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 10736-10737]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           PLEADING THE 10TH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Utah (Mr. Bishop) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to plead the Tenth. 
Earlier today, this body voted on H.R. 4855 that would establish in the 
Department of Labor an annual work/life balance award for employers 
that have developed and implemented work/life balance policies. The 
bill would also establish an advisory board to administer the award. 
Now although I oppose this legislation, I want to make clear that I 
actually think that the ultimate goals of this bill are good ones. The 
sponsors had the best intentions. I want to repeat that. The goals and 
objectives of this bill are respectable, even noble ideas. No one 
questions that a proper work/life balance is extremely important. But 
just because something is important doesn't mean Washington has to 
write a law to protect it, or create a bureau to encourage it, or 
really have anything else to do with it. In fact, it's simply not the 
job of the Federal Government to promote good work/life balance.
  Now there will be many more egregious bills in the future that will 
mandate by the Federal Government to States and locals and to the 
people behavior in certain circumstances, but not the incredibly worse 
bills that are out there withstanding. This Constitution makes the 
principle very clear: the Constitution gives Congress here in 
Washington certain powers that are limited. And in case we weren't 
clear on the concept or we didn't get it, it includes the Tenth 
Amendment which states: ``The powers not delegated to the United States 
by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved 
to the States respectively, or to the people.'' In other words, if a 
power is not assigned to the Federal Government in the Constitution, 
then it must be automatically assumed to be assigned to States, 
localities or to no government entity at all.
  So just imagine that, Mr. Speaker. A problem in America not being 
solved with the involvement of the Federal Government. Some in this 
Chamber cannot envision such a world, but it can exist.
  So I rise today to say that I do believe in the Constitution and the 
Tenth

[[Page 10737]]

Amendment. I remain hopeful that the Congress will remember our 
limitations, begin to return the consideration of life's most important 
elements back to the States and local governments and churches and 
private groups and families where they really should be handled. 
Therefore, Mr. Speaker, on this particular issue, I plead the Tenth.

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