Billy Long votes for EPA Regulatory Relief Act

(From Seventh District Congressman Billy Long)

U.S. Congressman Billy Long fought against job killing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulation in the House of Representatives by voting in favor of the EPA Regulatory Relief Act, or H.R. 2250, a bill that would ease restrictions on boiler and process heater use throughout the country. Congressman Long, a cosponsor of the bill, was proud to vote to protect Missouri jobs and businesses.

“For too long Washington has attacked free markets, innovation, and entrepreneurship,” said Long. “The EPA Regulatory Relief Act is another common-sense reform that will get Washington out of the way of the job creators and get our country back on track.”

The EPA was proposing to change regulations that would affect boilers and process heaters used by thousands of major employers, including hospitals, factories, and colleges across the country. The rule, if unchallenged, would create billions of dollars in new costs by requiring the retrofitting of expensive control technologies.

In contrast, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act would protect an estimated 200,000 American jobs by stopping these costly federal regulations. Based on a 2010 IHS Global Insight study, by stopping this EPA overregulation approximately 5,000 Missouri jobs would be protected and Missouri businesses would save over $300 million dollars.

“The President and the Democrats say that want to create jobs,” said Long. “With around 200,000 jobs at stake, this is the kind of bipartisan solution that will protect jobs and give Missouri businesses the regulatory certainty they need to get this country back on track.”

The EPA Regulatory Relief Act follows President Obama’s request to create jobs. Both Democrats and Republicans are in agreement that excessive regulation cripples job creation.

Congressman Long has been a vocal critic of EPA overreach and job killing overregulation in Washington. Two weeks ago, Long submitted the Superfund Common-Sense Act (H.R. 2997) into the House of Representatives, which would stop the Environmental Protection Agency from adopting rules that would classify livestock manure a “hazardous substance.”