By Brandon Moseley
Alabama Political Reporter
Congressman Jo Bonner (R) from Mobile issued a written statement to discuss the growing weight of costly federal regulations under which American businesses are forced to operate.
Representative Bonner said, “Businesses don’t operate in a vacuum. If Uncle Sam makes it harder for them to stay profitable, the impact is felt by everyone in higher prices for goods and services. It has been estimated that the full effect of federal regulations – including direct cost to business and the impact on the economy through higher costs to the consumer – is close to $1.8 trillion.”
Rep. Bonner continued, “Of course, the cost of administering the ever increasing army of bureaucrats who oversee and promulgate these new regulations makes the price tag for the taxpayer even higher. The same federal bureaucrats who interpret and write regulations that have direct and indirect impacts on our lives don’t answer to the American people. Congress passes law, but it is the Executive Branch that interprets and implements them through regulation. What is clear to many Americans is that unelected federal bureaucrats often have too much latitude in their rule making, which can have significant negative consequences on business and the economy.”
Critics of the regulatory authorities such as the IRS, EPA, CPSC, EEOC, FAA, FCC, FDIC, the FED, FTC, FDA, ICC, NLRB, NRC, OSHA, SEC, and CFPB charge that under the Constitution the Congress is supposed to write the laws and the executive branch is simply the enforcement arm of the government. Instead of the Congress passing regulations the federal regulatory authority writes the regulations, investigates, and in some cases even penalizes businesses all with little Congressional oversight.
Rep. Bonner said, “I believe Congress should have the final say in the implementation of federal regulations, particularly those which pose the greatest burden on business and jobs. I have cosponsored legislation to require an up-or-down vote from Congress before major regulations take effect. The Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, already has more than 120 House cosponsors. The REINS Act is vital to ensure that those who rubberstamp major regulatory decisions, which ultimately impact business and the economy, are accountable to the American people.”
Congressman Todd Young (R) from Indiana who introduced the REINS Act said, “Congress has a tendency to pass vague, sweeping legislation that delegates the responsibility of writing the rules of the game to federal agencies. By requiring a vote from Congress before major regulations could take effect, we ensure that Americans can hold their elected officials accountable for overly burdensome regulations that resulted from legislation we passed in the first place.” The bill had 120 cosponsors in the House.
It is estimated that American businesses spend $1.2 trillion having to deal with the burden of federal regulations.
Congressman Jo Bonner represents Alabama’s First Congressional District.
