| Weekly Update from Sam |
Dear Friends,
This week, as the nation’s slow economic growth for the most recent quarter was revised downward to 1.8%, President Obama gave a speech outlining an anti-energy agenda that will hinder the economic recovery. A Politico article this week described President Obama as “sounding the cannons” in a war on coal, which will lead to higher electricity bills for millions of Americans. However, this administration’s flawed energy policies go far beyond coal to impede nearly every major energy source. Offshore energy production has been curtailed severely under this administration. The Keystone Pipeline has been blocked, despite obvious benefits calculated in more jobs and lower energy costs. And he’s announcing more anti-growth policies to come. This administration keeps finding new obstacles to U.S. energy production. The President’s speech indicates the next move will come from the Environmental Protection Agency – the same regulatory bureaucracy that considered regulating the amount of dust that farmers stir up.
We must do what we can legislatively to protect American consumers and entrepreneurs burdened by this costly agenda. Affordable energy fuels the economy, and escalating energy costs are tough on small business budgets. America has a wealth of energy options, despite policies that prevent full access to these resources. The administration should stop picking energy winners and losers, and go forward with a comprehensive strategy that builds from the full spectrum of abundant energy sources.
Sincerely,
Sam Graves
Chairman
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Latest Committee Action
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On Wednesday, the Committee heard testimony from a diverse panel of small business leaders on their recommendations for the new United States Trade Representative (USTR) on how to promote exports by small companies and create American jobs. The United States has launched trade negotiations with the European Union that could shape the future for small businesses in world markets, and Michael Froman was sworn in last week as the new USTR to advance American trade goals. The hearing was another step in the Committee’s focus on its Export Principles for the 113th Congress to remove barriers and help small firms export. Through new legislation, hearings and oversight, the Committee is advancing an aggressive trade strategy to help small companies gain access to new markets and simplify the trade process.
On Thursday, the Small Business Subcommittee on Health and Technology held a hearing to highlight the contributions of mobile applications (apps) entrepreneurs to economic growth and improved health care. Witnesses also discussed how Washington regulations and taxes influence innovation. The growing medical apps industry can be a tool to improve patient care in the digital age, and one study estimates 500 million smartphones could use mobile medical apps by 2015.
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News from Washington
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| Today is the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s ruling that upheld the 2010 health care law. Three years after its passage, the law is just as unpopular and problematic as ever, but it is also weighing heavily on small business growth. A recent poll shows that 41 percent of small businesses say they’ve frozen hiring because of this law. And another 38 percent of the small business owners said they "have pulled back on their plans to grow their business" because of the law.
Also today, by a bipartisan vote of 235-186, the House passed the Offshore Energy and Jobs Act to expand production, lower prices and create American jobs. The bill removes some of the barriers that currently block 85 percent of U.S. offshore areas from production.
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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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| June 28, 2013 |
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| What We're Reading |
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Small Biz Resources
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| Tweet of the Week |
| @RepChrisCollins on [Thursday's] hearing: Mobile med apps have revolutionized consumer health care, created 500K jobs |
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