Letter from Lungren

Back in Washington after making the most of my week in California during the District Work Period, I remain focused on job creation and economic recovery for our region’s hard hit families, homeowners and small businesses and other job providers.  Unemployment among Californians has been over 10 percent since February 2009 – that is, for almost three years.  That is why I have been committed to providing relief to Californians since day one.
The House has passed 15 jobs bills since the beginning of the 112th Congress in January this year.  Unfortunately, the Senate has stalled 10 of these bills in their chamber – not bringing them up for consideration, amending them with their changes nor sending their own legislation to the House.  In fact, while the Senate has already voted down President Obama’s “American Jobs Act” (Record Vote Number 160), the House has brought forward, considered and passed specific policies from the President’s proposal, including three free trade agreements and repeal of a three percent pre-tax imposed on certain businesses as a means of tax enforcement.

We will continue to work on the proposals in the President’s agenda that have the potential to help create jobs.  I remain willing and eager to work with all parties to put Californians back to work – which is why I began this Congress by authoring, introducing, and shepherding through the very first bipartisan, bicameral jobs legislation of the 112th Congress.
One aspect necessary for job creation, absent from the President's plan, is regulatory reform.  During the first 26 months of the Administration, it has imposed 75 major regulations - resulting in a net increase in reporting costs of $38 billion on the private sector.1  These regulations weigh more heavily on small businesses - which represent 87.6 percent of businesses in the Sacramento region2 and create 65 percent of all new jobs3 - than on large companies.  Compliance costs for small businesses average $10,585 per small business employee, but $7,755 per employee for large companies4 - a 36 percent increase for the small businesses that our country most needs.
These costly regulations stifle job creation and are implemented without proper accountability.  The regulations are written and executed by federal agencies that do not answer to the American people or have an obligation to consider the effect on small businesses and our economy.  The gravity of our economic situation requires that we carefully weigh everything the government does to hamper job creation and reverse bad policies, which is why our Job Plan includes regulatory reform to provide relief to small businesses.
The House has worked with the President to come to some agreement regarding his proposals.  Will the President and Senate give our proposals the same discussion and consideration we have given the President's ideas?  It is time that we all get to work together so that the 14 million unemployed Americans can get back to work too.
Sincerely,
Daniel E. Lungren
Member of Congress