When I travel throughout the 30 counties in our Eighth Congressional District I constantly hear from people who are looking for work. Government does not create jobs, but government can create an economic environment that encourages small business owners to grow their businesses and hire new workers. Since my election to Congress, I have been working with my colleagues in the House of Representatives to implement pro-growth policies. The House has passed over 40 bills that would reduce ineffective government regulations, make energy more affordable and the tax code simpler. Unfortunately, these pro-jobs bills are all stuck in the Senate where Harry Reid refuses to give them a vote.
Nothing kills jobs faster than a Washington regulation. Crippling federal regulations like the Obamacare 30-hour work week are causing employers to reduce hours for their workers. I voted in favor of the Save American Workers Act of 2014 to restore a full work week to 40-hours and reduce the harmful effect of Obamacare on American businesses and workers. Another government agency that proposes unreasonable regulations is the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The House passed the Energy Tax Protection Act to fight the EPA’s attempt to broaden the scope of greenhouse gases. The EPA change would create enormous economic pain with no environmental gain. The extreme EPA regulatory games must stop.
An affordable and stable energy supply is essential for economic growth and job creation. Many businesses rely on natural gas to operate their businesses and this year prices are up by as much as 45%. The House passed the Responsibly and Professionally Invigorating Development Act or RAPID Act to expedite federal approval of construction projects, including energy and natural gas infrastructure. In some cases, the federal permit and environmental regulations can add five to seven years to the process for licensing and finally constructing new power plants. The RAPID Act will help cut through the red tape so new power plants can be built more quickly and families can see lower utility costs.
At over 73,000 pages long, the U.S. tax code has become a real burden on job creators. The House passed the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Act of 2013 and the Taxpayer Transparency Act of 2014 to protect small businesses from unfair targeting by the IRS. No business can operate and grow effectively if they are living in fear of their own government.
These are just a few of the solutions that conservatives in the House of Representatives have championed to stimulate our economy and encourage job growth. America has a rich history of leading the world in entrepreneurship, innovation and hard work. The freedom and opportunity in this country is unparalleled, but this opportunity has recently been stagnated by overregulation, overspending, and excessive taxation. Americans deserve better. Folks in our Eighth Congressional District who are looking for work deserve more from their government. It’s time for Harry Reid to stop playing politics with our nation’s economic security and start voting on the pro-growth legislation passed by the House of Representatives.
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