Over the past two and a half years, the Administration has imposed several unnecessary government regulations and mandates on the private sector that have destroyed jobs, stifled innovation, and slowed our economic recovery.
Despite the fact that unemployment still stands unacceptably high in the 5th District and across the nation, the Administration continues to overstep its bounds, taking steps and pursuing policies that make it more difficult for our job creators to put people back to work.
A recent and troubling example of this is the latest move by the unelected National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to block Boeing from building a new plant in South Carolina. The NLRB’s lawsuit has the potential to cost thousands of jobs. But even more, this government intervention on behalf big union bosses represents a direct attack on our economic freedom.
The federal government should not dictate the business decisions of private companies while destroying jobs in the process. Right to Work states, such as Virginia, should not be penalized by an intrusive and overbearing federal government for their ability to attract new business, investments, and jobs. And the NRLB’s complaint in this case threatens to undermine the economic competitiveness of all states that have Right to Work laws.
That is why I signed on as a co-sponsor of the Job Protection Act, which prevents the NLRB from moving forward with their case against Boeing or attempting similar action against other companies. The Job Protection Act clarifies that the NLRB cannot order an employer to relocate jobs from one location to another and guarantees an employer the right to decide where to do business within the United States.
Virginia is the northern-most Right to Work state on the East Coast, which has made the Commonwealth one of the best places to do business and has helped promote job growth across the 5th District and the state. I remain committed to protecting and defending our Right to Work status at the federal level, which is a critical component to our success as we all work to move our economy forward.
The effort to create jobs also hinges on our ability to identify and eliminate burdensome regulations that are hindering economic growth. One example of such an initiative is my bill H.R. 1082, the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act, which was favorably reported by the Financial Services Committee this past week with both Republican and Democrat support. H.R. 1082 will help restore confidence and certainty to the marketplace by reducing unnecessary government mandates so that our small businesses can access capital more easily and more jobs can be created and preserved. I look forward to the bill’s consideration by the full House of Representatives.
If you need any additional information on these or any other issues, please visit my website at www.hurt.house.gov or call my Washington office: (202) 225-4711, Charlottesville office: (434) 973-9631, Danville office: (434) 791-2596, or Farmville office: (434) 395-0120.
Robert Hurt is a United States Congressman.
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