Over the past few weeks, I’ve traveled throughout the Sixth Congressional District visiting numerous businesses, getting a firsthand look at the hard work their employees do, and listening to their concerns about the direction of the economy. Whether large employers or small, family-owned businesses, or if they are located in Roanoke, Front Royal, Amherst, or Waynesboro, their comments have followed a common theme: the federal government’s policies of more regulation and higher taxes are standing in the way of job creation.
Despite promises of hope and change, the current Administration continues to push failed policies in the faces of the American people and the economy has yet to grow strong enough for many families and businesses to feel much-needed relief. In an effort to provide this relief, the House Judiciary Committee, where I serve as Chairman, has passed bill after bill to help spark economic growth, create jobs for Americans, and protect job creators. One ingredient critical to a healthy, growing economy is regulatory reform that holds federal bureaucrats accountable for imposing burdens on America’s economy. This includes the REINS Act, which requires federal agencies to submit major regulations to Congress for approval and guarantees that no major regulations become effective until Congress approves them. Another is theRegulatory Accountability Act, which strives to lower the cost of new regulations.
Another ingredient to a more competitive America is an efficient and just legal system. TheLawsuit Abuse Reduction Act reduces unnecessary and abusive litigation while preserving the rights of citizens to file legitimate lawsuits. The FACT Act brings transparency to asbestos litigation practices. The Innovation Act, which passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support, defends America’s job creators and innovators against abusive patent trolls that extort their money and steal their inventions.
These bills, which were passed by the judiciary committee and then by the full House of Representatives, are an important step toward challenging the current strategy of the Obama administration and laying the foundation for a robust economy. The House has done its part to advance solutions, now it’s time for the Senate to join in providing relief. Job creators in the Sixth District and throughout the nation have the drive and innovative ideas to grow the economy. But they should not foot the growing bill that the Administration piles on them. They deserve a real economic recovery.
Bob Goodlatte represents Virginia’s Sixth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
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