Date: 1995-02-24
Speaker: GENE GREEN (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I rise in opposition to the amendment offered by the gentleman from Washington . Mr. Chairman. Members. I support small business. In fact. for 23 years I worked and helped manage a small business of 13 to 20 employees. so I understand the frustration the gentleman from Washington is experiencing with his amendment or expressing with his amendment. The concern I have though is that we could make it counterproductive. Typically the regulations that we have from the Federal Government do not distinguish. and that may be the problem. but. for example. if we have a TV station in New York compared to a TV station in a small or medium market in Texas. may have less than 100 employees. Now that TV station may say. "We would like to have more than 6 months compared to that larger one." I think there is some concern that maybe our goal. and I had hoped to support the moratorium. because typically I like moratoriums. I like sunset provisions. because I think every Federal agency and regulation. just like every State regulation and agency. reeds to be looked at over a period of time to make sure they are still responding to the need. but I think what we are seeing in this bill with the exceptions that we are adding and just a -general confusion to private business. that we are going to actually increase the Federal paperwork for those small businesses. For example. to my small business I was at. we had no more than 20 employees during the 20 years. and until the Federal Government let the economy go in the tank in the State of Texas in 1980. we went down to 13 employees. But we are going to see what about OSHA regulations when we come in? It is a printing company. for example. and we compete also with larger printing companies. so we are going to have different standards for a company that has over 100 employees as compared to their competitor who may be bidding on the same products that is less than 100. I think we are going to add confusion by adopting this amendment. I know this amendment was considered in committee. In fact. I think I may have voiced it earlier or something. I say to the gentleman. I know where youre coming from. I just wish there was a different way we could get to it because I do think small business needs to be treated differently. but I think by developing two different standards and ultimately setting two different effective dates we might be causing those small businesses more confusion than were trying to help them. and again that comes from. one. having to live with some of those regulations. whether it be OSHA. or whether it be new EPA regulations. and our biggest concern in small business is so often we would get something from one of the national groups we were a member of. whether it be the U.S. Chamber or someone else. and we would get all panicky about it. and then all of a sudden we would find out. well. that may not be affecting us in our particular printing company. So. Mr. Chairman. I know the gentlemans intentions are great. and I am just concerned that we may be causing more problems. not just with his amendment. but some of the amendments that we have considered. and some have been accepted by the majority. some have been voted on. and that is why I rise in opposition to the amendment.