Congressman Bachus Remarks on House Legislative Action

Press Release

The House of Representatives passed legislation this week to promote job creation and energy security, ensure continued funding for federal government operations, and confront Islamic State extremists in the Middle East.

The package of bills in the Jobs for America Act approved by the House includes legislation introduced by Congressman Spencer Bachus (AL-6) requiring that federal agencies better address the impact of proposed regulations on small businesses. A bill that would streamline the federal permitting process for major construction projects, the RAPID Act, was part of a comprehensive energy bill that also won House passage. Both bills originated in the Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, which Congressman Bachus chairs, and had previously cleared the House as individual pieces of legislation.

"Job growth in the U.S. is still nowhere close to where it needs to be to provide opportunity for our people. But we have it in our power to generate economic growth by reducing burdensome regulations, using our growing advantage in energy, providing relief from the harmful provisions of Obamacare, and promoting research and innovation," said Congressman Bachus.

The jobs package also included measures to facilitate business access to financing and promote small and emerging-growth companies that were developed in the Financial Services Committee, where Bachus is Chairman Emeritus. Bachus stated his strong support for legislative provisions that would barriers to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline with Canada.

House Speaker John Boehner said the bills "deserve an immediate vote in the Senate."

Earlier, the House cleared a continuing resolution to fund the operations of the federal government through December 15. The measure would ensure that government operations will continue uninterrupted past September 30 even if individual funding, or appropriations, bills are not approved by then. The continuing resolution included the McKeon Amendment, which authorizes training and equipment sought by the President for Syrian rebels fighting radical Islamic State extremists. The amendment passed by a bipartisan margin of 273-156.

Congressman Bachus, while voting for the amendment, said Congress still needs to see a more detailed strategy from the President on how to most effectively confront the brutal militant group.

Bachus said, "The spread of the Islamic State extremists poses a threat to the stability of the Middle East and to U.S. national security. Their barbaric acts have horrified the civilized world. The U.S. cannot be a bystander. It must be sure to have a comprehensive and coherent strategy for defeating the militants. In formulating this strategy, the U.S. should be very careful not to draw any "red lines' in public or specify to extremists the exact terms on when, where, or how we might engage."

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