Our small businesses and industries are suffering under the continued increases in government regulations. Expansion is almost impossible without spending millions in meeting the vast spider wed of regulations. Many of our industries have left our shores to find other foreign nations who have far fewer regulations. This has cost Americans’ jobs and the creation of real prosperity by allowing growth and investment in our future economic growth.
When Congress passes legislation, the actual writing of the regulations and laws are left to the individual agencies. In every case, each of these bureaucratic agencies are not elected to office, answer only to the President, and have almost uncontrolled authority. It is a form of “shadow government” that exceeds it’s authority and creates mounds of compliance issues for our businesses.
These agencies not only are enforcing these laws, but mandating directly the methods our businesses and industries must use to stay in compliance of the regulations they write. One example is in the handling of automotive waste oil and coolant. It is against the law to allow discharge of these wastes, but the EPA also mandates that anyone handling these wastes MUST use specific types of equipment, have containment facilities, and have spillage equipment in the event of a discharge. It’s not enough that businesses NOT discharge this waste and to create severe fines to do so, but the EPA feels it is within their scope and authority to demand specific requirements for proper handling or you too, can be found in violation of their regulations. Even if your business has never had a discharge of waste, you can still be fined, shut down, or the owners even imprisoned for not meeting EPA mandates.
This near dictatorial regulatory authority has created an environment in which many expansion plans for companies are shelved. New industries seek places to locate in other nations that have far fewer restrictions. Much, if not all, of entire manufacturing sectors are now overseas where they are encouraged to expand and grow. The regulations in these nations don’t mandate HOW a company will comply, but only have laws that require a means to comply and the “HOW to” is determined by the management of those businesses and industries.
Mike believes that legislation written gives only specific authority to enforcement of these laws and writing these restrictive regulations are outside the scope and authority of these agencies. He believes every single piece of legislation must contain language that specifically defines the scope and authority of any regulatory agency and any laws that give broad scope must be reviewed to allow overly restrictive regulations to be made null and void.
Mike will not vote for any legislation that does not restrict regulatory authority to the agencies assigned to enforce our laws. Congress must write the laws, not the bureaucrats.
Mike will work for legislation that restricts bureaucrats to specific language within the laws and not allow them to create mandates by broad interpretation of Congressional action and to create regulations outside the scope and authority of those laws. Mike further believes that any regulations promulgated by a bureaucratic agency must be reviewed by Congress and voted on as if they were law before they can take effect. The Constitutional authority to write laws lies within Congress, not the bureaucracies.
Mike will work to eliminate duplicity of Federal regulations in which the States have their own regulatory authority on a specific areas (land use, environment, development, etc.) already in force. Mike feels the 10th Amendment gives the States the right to regulate within their borders and if they choose to do so, Federal law should not apply.
