| Weekly Update from Sam |
| Dear Friends,
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) track record of aggressively creating new red tape for small businesses stands out even in this costly era of mounting government regulations. A few years ago, the EPA proposed to regulate the dust raised by farm activity. The agency scrapped those plans after the predictable outcry. This spring, the Committee alerted small businesses to another overreach: the “Waters of the United States” proposed rule. This proposal – now delayed for more comments – would expand the EPA’s authority over “navigable waters” to almost any wet area, such as temporary streams during heavy rains.
This week, as reported here, industry groups and associations that represent many of America’s 28 million small businesses once again are speaking out because of an EPA regulation, this time raising concerns that new EPA regulations on coal will cost jobs and drive up electricity costs. Major regulations, like these, can result in bureaucrats re-shaping laws beyond the intent of the Congress. Quite simply, the EPA is exceeding its authority and infringing on people’s rights.
Next week, EPA Deputy Administrator Bob Perciasepe will testify at the Committee’s hearing titled, “EPA Overreach: Is EPA Meeting Its Small Business Obligations?” Be sure to watch it from your computer here.
Sincerely,
Sam Graves
Chairman
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Latest Committee Action
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| On Wednesday, the Committee examined the progress of recent changes to both the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Under Chairman Graves’ leadership, Congress reauthorized the programs with reforms that will help spur wider participation from small firms and more effective commercialization of products. This was the second of two hearings regarding those changes. The first hearing focused on private sector impressions of the programs, and this time the Committee focused its oversight on the public sector role, including the Department of Defense, the National Institutes of Health, and the Small Business Administration (SBA). Testimony helped the Committee gauge the agencies’ progress, and highlighted the need to continue to monitor the pace of these reforms.
On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Energy and Trade, under the chairmanship of Rep. Scott Tipton (R-CO), held a hearing to examine the small business size standard for agricultural businesses. The Committee considered whether the current standard accurately reflects the structural and economic realities of modern small agriculture production operations and evaluated whether it should be changed to better fit today’s industry. Unlike the size standards established for all other industries by the SBA, the size standard for agriculture enterprises is statutorily established, and Congress updated it in 2000 to $750,000 in annual receipts. Testimony revealed the importance of continuing to explore a solution that more accurately defines small agriculture producers so they can access resources and regulatory relief.
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News from Washington
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| This week, the House passed a series of bills that work together to improve access to post-secondary education. Among them are the Empowering Students through Enhanced Financial Counseling Act (H.R. 4984), which assists students participating in the federal student loan program with information and planning, and the Student and Family Tax Simplification (H.R. 3393), which simplifies the tax code to make college more affordable.
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| Stay Plugged In |
Be sure to check out the House Small Business Committee on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter for all the latest in Small Biz news and resources and to join the conversation. We value your input, so tell us about your small business on our interactive website Small Biz Open Mic.
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| July 25, 2014 |
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| What We're Reading |
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Small Biz Resources
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| Tweet of the Week |
@SmallBizGOP
"SURVEY: Fewer than 1 in 5 better off because of #Obamacare; many more worse off," @dcexaminer has the report
http://washex.am/1mFA2d8
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