Thune: Senate GOP to Rein in Burdensome Biden-Era Regulations
“[W]e believe that regulatory power should be used judiciously. And it’s why we’re committed to eliminating rules that impose unjustified burdens.”
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:
Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):
“Mr. President, over the last four years the Biden administration subjected Americans to an onslaught of regulations.
“Altogether, the Biden regulatory agenda cost $1.8 trillion.
“It heaped thousands of hours of paperwork on business owners, energy producers, and other hardworking Americans.
“And to what end?
“Well, often these regulations were part of the Biden administration’s radical climate agenda:
“Efforts to tie up conventional energy production.
“Force the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.
“And even go after things like household appliances.
“Mr. President, those days are over.
“We’re no longer regulating our way to the Green New Deal.
“President Trump has moved swiftly to unleash energy production and remove regulatory barriers.
“And Republicans in Congress are joining those efforts.
“To date, we’ve passed a number of resolutions blocking Biden-era regulations through the Congressional Review Act.
“And we’ll continue those efforts this week.
“Later today, we’ll vote on a resolution blocking the Biden administration’s onerous appliance standards regulation – an effort that’s going to be led here in the Senate by Senator Husted.
“This rule imposed stricter reporting requirements on a number of household appliances.
“Dishwashers.
“Dehumidifiers.
“Pool heaters.
“Air conditioners.
“Lightbulbs.
“And the list goes on.
“Reporting and certification requirements may not sound like much, Mr. President.
“But there is a lot of front-end work that has to be done – work that costs time and money, and can place a huge burden on businesses and drive up prices for consumers.
“In its public comments on the Biden administration’s appliance standards, Carrier, an appliance manufacturer, said the Department of Energy failed to adequately account for, and I quote, ‘the cost and burden … to comply with updated requirements.’
“A manufacturers’ association said that the proposed reporting standards had, and I quote, ‘no practical utility.’
“And another objected to what they called ‘burden without benefit.’
“Mr. President, the same could be said of another Biden-era regulation we’ll be voting to overturn later this week.
“Last year, the Biden administration finalized a rule setting stricter standards for commercial refrigerators and freezers.
“These are the refrigerators and freezers that we see at convenience stores, in restaurants, and at grocery stores.
“In other words, it impacts a lot of small operators.
“And these stricter standards threaten to drive up costs and reduce choice for the owners of these businesses – costs that, I might add, will inevitably be passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
“Proponents of this rule claim more efficient appliances will save businesses money in the long run.
“But in the case of at least one new standard, the Department of Energy estimates that it will take more than 90 years – 90 years – for a business to see those savings.
“In other words, longer than any business owner will survive at the head of his or her business.
“And so I thank Senator Moody for leading this effort to eliminate the unnecessary burden on America’s small businesses.
“Mr. President, this week the Senate is also taking up Senator Curtis’ resolution to overturn the Biden administration’s major source rule.
“This rule isn’t just burdensome; it’s backwards.
“The Clean Air Act has two categories of pollutants, ‘major source’ and ‘area source.’
“Major source pollutants are more heavily regulated.
“But the Biden administration’s rule says that even if you reduce potential emissions below the threshold established in law for classification as major source pollutants, that doesn’t matter.
“You’re still subject to the stricter major source rules.
“Once in, always in.
“Mr. President, that’s wrong.
“And worse, it removes an incentive to reduce emissions – undermining the very purpose of the Clean Air Act.
“So this week, the Senate will vote to eliminate this backward regulation.
“Mr. President, we’ve made progress on reining in excessive regulation.
“And the American people can count on Republicans to continue our efforts.
“We know that rules out of Washington can frequently have very negative consequences in the real world.
“Complying with a new rule costs money that could otherwise go toward innovation, improvements, or investing in employees.
“For small business owners, a new regulation can mean late nights trying to figure out what it means and how to make the business work while following the rules.
“And regulations can lead to higher costs and less choice for consumers.
“That’s why we believe that regulatory power should be used judiciously.
“And it’s why we’re committed to eliminating rules that impose unjustified burdens.”
Related Issues: Regulations, Energy
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