Capital Roundup

Feb 2, 2012
BILL NAME SUMMARY OF BILL AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU U.S. CHAMBER'S POSITION STATUS

WHISTLEBLOWER REQUIREMENTS

H.R. 2483

Whistleblower Improvement Act

This legislation would require internal reporting of alleged misconduct as a condition of eligibility for a monetary reward as a whistleblower. The Chamber supports this bill because it would preserve the integrity and enhance the effectiveness of corporate compliance programs, which are critical to sound corporate governance.

Last Action
Passed House subcommittee Dec. 14, 2011.

Next Step
Committee Vote.

FARM DUST REGULATION

H.R.1633 

Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act of 2011 

This bill would prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating dust in rural America while maintaining the protections of the Clean Air Act for  public health and welfare. H.R. 1633 would also prohibit revision of the current dust standard for one year from date of enactment and would provide flexibility for states and localities to regulate “nuisance dust.” The Chamber believes that this actis necessary to create greater regulatory certainty and maintains the proper balance between environmental protection and job creation.

Last Action
Voted out of the House Dec. 8, 2011. 

Next Step
Senate Vote 

UNION ELECTIONS

H.R. 3094

Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act

This bill would amend the National
Labor Relations Act to effectively prevent the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from implementing its proposed “ambush” election rule to speed up union elections. Instead, the bill would provide fair representation hearing processes to guarantee that employees have ample opportunity to hear both sides of the unionization debate before casting their ballots in a representation election. H.R. 3094 would codify the long-standing criteria that the board has traditionally used for determining the appropriateness of a proposed bargaining unit.

The Chamber supports this bill because it would restore balance to U.S. labor laws.

Last Action
Passed the House Nov. 30, 2011.

Next Step
Senate vote.

REGULATORY REFORM

H.R. 3010
S. 1606

Regulatory Accountability Act of 2011

These bills would restore needed checks and balances to the regulatory process. Specifically, they would increase public participation in the rulemaking process; restrict agencies’ ability to issue interim final regulations; provide for a more rigorous test in legal challenges and on-the-record administrative hearings for regulations that impose an annual cost on the economy of $1 billion or more; and require agencies to choose the least costly regulatory option unless they can demonstrate a need to protect public health, safety, or welfare. The Chamber supports these bipartisan bills because they would bolster regulatory fairness and make the regulatory process more transparent, agencies more accountable, and regulations more cost effective.

Last Action
H.R. 3010 passed the House Dec. 5, 2011, and was referred to Senate committee.

Next Step
Committee Vote.

REGULATORY REFORM

H.R. 10

Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act

This bill would require both houses of Congress to affirmatively approve, and the president to sign, any new regulation projected to have more than a $100 million economic impact before it could become effective. The Chamber supports this bill because it would enhance congressional oversight, improve agency actions, restore the historic relationship between Congress and the federal agencies, and ensure that all branches of the federal government are accountable to the American people.

Last Action
Passed the House, Dec. 7, 2011.

Next Step
Senate Vote.

 

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