Top Republican House Committee on Small Business members have voiced their concerns over a newly proposed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation that they argue could place a significant financial burden on small businesses nationwide. The lawmakers assert the potential cost for businesses to comply with this regulation could range from $800 to a staggering $10 million, a wide-ranging and potentially devastating estimate for many small business owners.
Chairman Roger Williams (R-TX), Congressman Pete Stauber (R-MN), Congresswoman Beth Van Duyne (R-TX), and Congresswoman Maria Salazar (R-FL) expressed their collective concerns in a letter addressed to Administrator Regan of the EPA. The letter drew attention to the agency’s responsibility to examine the cost implications of its regulations on the small business sector and accused it of treating the procedure as a mere ‘check-the-box’ exercise.
“Unfortunately, we have seen agencies continually treat this requirement as a check-the-box exercise,” Chairman Williams stated in his comment on the new regulation. He further labeled the agency’s cost estimate as an “insult” to the small businesses that would bear the primary brunt of the regulation, urging agencies to take their statutory responsibilities more seriously.
Expressing similar concern, Congressman Stauber noted that the proposed rule is the latest in a series of the Biden Administration’s burdensome regulations that could cripple small businesses. He called on Washington to focus its energies on helping, rather than hindering, Main Street America.
“Biden’s bloated bureaucracy is acting without regard for our nation’s job creators,” commented Congresswoman Van Duyne, highlighting the potential additional financial burden on small businesses already struggling with inflation under the Biden Administration. She emphasized the need for the government to address the concerns of Main Street businesses.
Echoing her colleagues’ sentiments, Congresswoman Salazar criticized the Biden Administration for failing to understand the pain inflicted by overregulation on small businesses, noting that these regulations were affecting enterprises like Mom-and-Pop dry cleaners in her district.
The critical voices from these prominent lawmakers underscore a growing frustration with the perceived overregulation of the business environment, which they argue can be particularly damaging to small businesses. While regulatory agencies have the challenging task of balancing public interests against business operations, the House Committee on Small Business’s concerns indicate an urgent need for dialogue, increased transparency, and careful consideration of small business interests.
While the ultimate impact of these criticisms remains to be seen, the dialogue underscores the critical role that regulatory agencies play in shaping the business landscape. As policymakers debate the potential implications of these proposed regulations, small business owners would do well to stay informed, prepare for possible changes, and engage with local and national representatives to ensure their concerns are heard and addressed in these high-stakes discussions.
Image: House.gov
