A big part of the conversation in Washington surrounding job creation has focused on burdensome regulations on the private sector. This Wednesday, the Small Business Committee took a significant step in the direction of protecting small businesses by passing two pieces of legislation that will force federal agencies to better examine the impact of their rules on small businesses.

The Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011 and the Small Business Size Standard Flexibility Act of 2011 will close loopholes used by agencies to avoid compliance with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), a law passed in 1980 that requires the administration to consider the effects of their rules on small businesses and other small entities before issuance.

Overreaching Washington regulations, mandates and taxes are preventing small businesses from creating jobs. If we want to see job creation improve in this country, one of our first steps must be to cut excessive bureaucratic regulations issued by the administration on small businesses. I discuss this in more detail in an op-ed I wrote in yesterday’s Roll Call newspaper.

Another hot topic in Congress is the debate surrounding raising the nation’s debt ceiling. This decision gives Washington the opportunity to promote policies that will help move our nation’s private sector forward out of a recession. Any deal to raise the limit should be focused on removing barriers to small business job creation by not raising taxes and creating a more certain economic environment by addressing our massive federal debt.

Sam Graves
Chairman

Latest Committee Action

On Wednesday, the House Small Business Committee held a full Committee markup of the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011 (HR 527) and the Small Business Size Standard Flexibility Act of 2011 (HR 585).  Together, the bills will close loopholes used by the federal government to avoid adherence to the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) by requiring a better assessment of the impacts that regulations will have on small businesses, forcing agencies to perform better periodic review of rules, and granting the Chief Counsel for Advocacy at the Small Business Administration greater powers for enforcement of the RFA.  

Notable Op-eds

Small Businesses Are the Solution to US Unemployment
By Rep. Sam Graves
July 14, 2011  
Make Agencies Work for Small Businesses
By Rep. Sam Graves
July 14, 2011

News From Washington

On Tuesday, the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2011 (H.R. 1309) passed the House 406-22. This legislation provides for a 5-year reauthorization of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and includes important reforms to improve its financial stability, reduce the burden on taxpayers, and provide avenues to increase private sector participation in the flood insurance market.

On Wednesday, the House voted to pass the Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act of 2011 (H.R. 2018) 239-184. This bill would amend the Water Pollution Control Act to preserve the authority of each state to make determinations relating to the state’s water quality standards. The bill transfers authority from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the states to allow them to make their own determinations about their water quality.

On Friday, the House passed the Energy and Water Appropriations Act of 2012 (H.R. 2354) 219-196. It would provide a total of $30.6 billion in non-emergency, discretionary budget authority for the agencies and programs funded through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee. This bill would be a reduction of $1 billion below the spending level for FY 2011 and $5.9 billion below the president's request.  H.R. 2354 would meet Republicans’ pledge to roll back government spending to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels with exceptions for seniors, veterans, and our troops by reducing budget authority by $249 million below the FY 2008 level of $30.8 billion.    

• CBS News: Boehner: Obama has no debt plan Republicans do
• USA Today: Late Payments Plague Small Business
• Wash Post: Fed Prepared to Act
• WSJ: Where Have America's Jobs Gone?
• WSJ: Employers Lobby to Weaken Insurance Mandate

• Mulvaney: Everything Needs to Be on the Table
• King Introduces “PROMISES Act” to Prioritize Spending
• Herrera- Beutler: Finally… Federal Small Business Lending Program  Starts Lending
• West Talks Debt Ceiling on Fox News
• Ellmers on Cavuto- Discusses Overregulation
• Walsh-Goodlattes’ Balanced Budget Amendment Scheduled for Vote
• Landry Discusses Jobs & Energy on Fox Business

• NASE Names Kristie Arslan As New President & CEO
• NFIB: Main Street Desperately in Search of Reasons to be Positive