House Committee on Small Business, Republicans

Straight Talk: A Better Pivot

Weekly Update from Sam

Dear Friends,

The United States is in a slow recovery that is leaving millions of Americans out of work. To the credit of many resilient small businesses, they have survived the economic slump, but most of them are not planning to hire people. As President Obama pivots back to jobs and the economy this week, searching again for the right message, it’s important to note that what small businesses need is no mystery. It’s just time for the White House to finally hear what small businesses have been saying all along. A good place to start is with the recent U.S. Chamber survey, in which small businesses point to the health care law’s requirements as their top concern, along with regulations and economic uncertainty. Four out of five want the federal government to “get out of the way.”

Unless the pivot is toward fewer regulations, lower taxes, more certainty and – most of all – the repeal of the health care law, then it’s more of the same rhetoric of the last four and a half years. When it comes to small business growth, what we need isn’t more speeches, it’s less government.

Sincerely,

(signed)
Sam Graves
Chairman

Latest Committee Action

On Wednesday, the Committee held a hearing examining the Obama administration’s review process to reduce red tape. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Administrator Howard Shelanski testified. The hearing examined the results of federal agency reviews of the growing list of regulations, as required by two Executive Orders from President Obama’s first term. The hearing expanded on the testimony from the Committee’s May hearing on the increasing regulatory burden on small firms despite retrospective reviews. Read an article on the hearing here.

Also on Wednesday, Chairman Graves (R-MO) and Committee Member Steve Chabot (R-OH) welcomed legislative progress for two Committee priorities that will create more opportunities for small business in world markets. The House Foreign Affairs Committee favorably reported to the House of Representatives both the Graves-Engel Export Promotion Reform Act (H.R. 1409) and the Chabot-sponsored State Trade Coordination Act (H.R. 1926). Together, these bills would reduce key barriers and obstacles faced by small business exporters.

On Thursday, the Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations held a hearing to review the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) Small Business Investment Company program, and whether it is meeting the capital needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs and reducing risk to taxpayers. As the program has grown in size, participating investment funds have experienced problems with a burdensome and complicated application process, slow response time from SBA, inconsistent and outdated Standard Operating Procedures that don’t reflect today’s capital markets, and unclear licensing process guidelines.

News from Washington

On Wednesday, the House passed the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, H.R. 2397, by a bipartisan vote of 315-109. This bill directs Department of Defense spending for 2014, including military readiness and national security, overseas operations, and health and quality of life programs for the men and women of the Armed Forces and their families. The $512.5 billion legislation represents a $5 billion decrease from the 2013 enacted level.

On Thursday, the House passed the Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2218, by a bipartisan vote of 265-155. In 2010, the EPA proposed coal ash regulations that would have jeopardized jobs and caused potential spikes in electricity costs. Instead, this legislation creates a state-based program that sets practical federal standards for coal ash to preserve jobs and improve environmental protections.

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