Berg Continues to Fight Back Against President Obama's Regulatory Overreach and Bureaucratic Red Tape

Press Release

Congressman Rick Berg today voted in support of H.R. 4078, the Red Tape Reduction and Small Business Job Creation Act. This legislation is aimed at cutting government red tape to make it easier for small businesses to create jobs. It is part of Berg's R.E.G.S. Agenda - a path forward to reduce regulatory red tape, empower states, grow the economy, and stop President Obama's regulatory overreach. The bill passed the House by a vote of 245 to 172.

"To cut the unemployment rate, we need to cut President Obama's red tape," stated Berg. "North Dakotans continue to be frustrated with the Obama Administration's regulatory overreach and are concerned about how these one-size-fits-all rules will hurt their small businesses and farms. We need to rein in Obama's overbearing regulations to give small businesses certainty to grow and create jobs, just like we have done here in North Dakota."

H.R. 4078 would impose a moratorium on any new regulation, except in cases of health and emergency, until unemployment drops below six percent nationally. It also contains language to curtail so called "midnight regulations", last-minute regulations that Presidents often push through in their final days in office, and highlights the preponderance of "sue and settle" agreements, in which government agencies can settle lawsuits with outside groups without even litigating the case.

Berg has been vocal in his belief that government overregulation is hampering an economic rebound. In 2012 alone, the Federal Registrar, where regulations are published, has run to 41,662 pages. Regulations that have been published would cost $56.6 billion and result in paperwork that would take 114.1 million hours to complete, or over 13,000 years working 24 hours a day and seven days a week.

Since launching his R.E.G.S. agenda, Berg has had success in getting legislation passed in the House. However, Harry Reid and the Democratic Leadership in the Senate, who control what legislation gets brought to the floor for a vote, have refused to even take up many of the measures.

R.E.G.S. Legislation & Communications with Government Agencies:

R.E.G.S. Votes

Review of Federal Regulations (H.Res. 72, passed House 391-29 on 2/11/11)

The Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act (H.R. 872, passed House 292-130 on 3/31/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

The Energy Tax Prevention Act (H.R. 910, passed House 255-172 on 4/7/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Disapproval of FCC's Net Neutrality Regulations (H.J. Res. 37, passed House 240-179 on 4/8/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

The Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act (H.R. 2018, passed House 239-184 on 7/13/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Consumer Financial Protection and Soundness Improvement Act (H.R. 1315, passed House 241-173 on 7/21/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Protecting Jobs From Government Interference Act (H.R. 2587, passed House 238-186 on 9/15/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Transparency In Regulatory Analysis Of Impacts On The Nation (H.R. 2401, passed House 249-169 on 9/23/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 2681, passed House 262-161 on 10/6/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

EPA Regulatory Relief Act (H.R. 2250, passed House 275-142 on 10/13/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Coal Residuals Reuse and Management Act (H.R. 2273, passed House 275-142 on 10/14/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Entrepreneur Access to Capital Act (H.R. 2930, passed House 407-17 on 11/03/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Access to Capital for Job Creators Act (H.R. 2940, passed House 413-11 on 11/03/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act (H.R. 3094, passed House 235-188 on 11/30/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act (H.R. 527, passed House 263-159 on 12/01/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 3010, passed House 253-167 on 12/02/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (H.R. 10, passed House 241-184 on 12/7/11, still awaiting action in Senate) *

H.R. 452 - Medicare Decisions Accountability Act (repeals IPAB, combined with H.R. 5 and passed the House 223-181 on 03/22/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Protecting Access to Healthcare Act (repeals Obamacare's IPAB and reforms Medical Malpractice lawsuits) (H.R. 5, passed House 223-181 on 03/22/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Farm Dust Regulation Prevention (H.R. 1633, passed House 268-150 on 12/08/2011, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Expanded Oil and Gas Production, Approval of Keystone XL Pipeline (H.R.3408, passed House 237-187 on 02/16/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education (H.R. 2117, passed the House 303-114 on 02/28/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) (H.R. 3606, final passage in the House 380-41 on 03/27/2012, became public law on 04/05/2012) *

Expediting disposal of Excess Federal Property (H.R. 665, passed the House 403-0 on 03/30/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Restricting Dodd-Frank Financial Regulations (H.R. 2682, passed the House 370-24 on 03/26/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Restricting Dodd-Frank Financial Regulations (H.R. 2779, passed the House 357-36 on 03/26/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Federal Communications Commission Process Reform (H.R. 3309, passed the House 247-174 on 03/27/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Sportsmen's Land Access (H.R. 4089, passed the House 274-146 on 04/17/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

American Indian Land Leases (H.R. 205, passed the House 400-0 on 05/15/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Electronic Fund Transfer Act to limit the fee disclosure requirement for an automatic teller machine to the screen of that machine (H.R. 4367, passed the House 371-0 on 07/9/2012, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2012 (H.R. 5892, passed the House 372-0 on 7/9/12, still awaiting action in Senate) *

Preserving America's Family Farms Act (H.R. 4157, unanimously passed House on 7/24/12, still awaiting action in Senate) *

* denotes legislation passed since launch of R.E.G.S. Agenda.

R.E.G.S. Legislation sponsored/co-sponsored by Berg

H.R. 10 - Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (Passed House 241-184 on 12/7/11,still awaiting action in Senate)

H.R 4 - Comprehensive 1099 Taxpayer Protection and Repayment of Exchange Subsidy Overpayments Act (Passed House 314-122 on 3/3/11, signed into law)

H.R. 21 - Reclaiming Individual Liberty Act

H.R. 420 - Veterans' Heritage Firearms Act

H.R. 452 - Medicare Decisions Accountability Act (repeals IPAB)

H.R. 509 - To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to provide that Act shall not apply to the gray wolf

H.R. 605 - Patients' Freedom to Choose Act

H.R. 735 - Government Neutrality in Contracting Act

H.R. 750 - Defending America's Affordable Energy and Jobs Act

H.R. 822 - National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act (Passed House 272-154 on 11/16/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

H.R. 872 - Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act (Passed House 292-130 on 3/31/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

H.R. 910 - Energy Tax Prevention Act (Passed House 255-172 on 4/7/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

H.R. 1391 - Recycling Coal Combustion Residuals Accessibility Act (RCCRA)

H.R. 1633 - Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act (Passed House 268-150 on 12/8/11, still awaiting action in Senate)

H.R. 1744 - American Job Protection Act

H.R. 1755 - Home Construction Lending Regulatory Improvement Act

H.R. 2117 - Protecting Academic Freedom in Higher Education Act

H.R. 2429- A bill to ease fuel transport restrictions for farmers and custom harvesters

H.R. 2997 - Superfund Common Sense Act

H.R. 3135 - Adjusting Davis-Bacon for Inflation Act

H.R. 3158 - Farmers Undertake Environmental Land Stewardship (FUELS) Act

H.R. 3379 - The Regional Haze Federalism Act *

H.R. 3548- The North American Energy Access Act

H.R. 3811, Keystone For A Secure Tomorrow Act *

H.R. 4157, Preserving America's Family Farms Act (Unanimously passed House on 7/24/12, still awaiting action in Senate) *

H.R. 4234, Grazing Improvement Act *

H.R. 4256, Pool Safety and Accessibility for Everyone (Pool SAFE) Act *

H.R. 4322 - Fracturing Regulations are Effective in State Hands (FRESH) Act *

H.R. 4643, Small Business Tax Simplification Act (sponsored) *

H.R. 4965, to preserve existing rights and responsibilities with respect to waters of the United States *

H.R. 5717, to require the Army Corps of Engineers to notify the public of certain flood predictions regarding the Missouri River System, and for other purposes *

H.R. 4078, Regulatory Freeze for Jobs Act of 2012

* denotes legislation sponsored/co-sponsored since launch of R.E.G.S. Agenda

Direct Communications with Government Agencies

Environmental Protection Agency to hold off on its "Tier 3" fuel regulations until they can establish adequate scientific justification for the rules. These regulations could have harmful effects on the economy and consumers

Department of Labor to re-evaluate proposed rules that would make it difficult for family farms to employ youth ag workers

Department of Interior to not move forward with plans to develop new rules and regulations for hydraulic fracturing activities on federal lands

Environmental Protection Agency explaining the negative impacts of strengthening regulations on particulate matter (Farm Dust) on our nation's farms and ranches *

Environmental Protection Agency requesting the Federal Implementation Plan be removed to regulate regional haze in North Dakota *

Environmental Protection Agency expressing concern regarding the agency's new lead paint ruling for home renovations and repairs *

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) describing the danger of New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) on the energy industry *

Department of Justice requesting they reconsider their standards for accessible design and approval of pool lifts *

Secretary of Interior opposing potential Bureau of Land Management regulations on hydraulic fracturing *

Secretary of Interior urging further state input regarding the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) consultation with oil and gas producing states during the rule making process. *

* denotes communications since launch of R.E.G.S. Agenda

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