WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 – President Obama will continue to press Congress to pass the $447 billion “American Jobs Act” he outlined during a joint session of Congress last week -- even as some lawmakers say the best way to create jobs is to remove the regulatory red tape that they say is stifling farmers and small businesses.
The president is expected to hold a Rose Garden event this morning to highlight the importance of the bill and send the measure to Capitol Hill on Monday night. He will continue pitching the plan outside the Beltway, making stops in Ohio and North Carolina this week.
House GOP leaders signaled that they are ready to consider the president’s proposals. In a letter sent to President Obama on Friday, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-VA, and other House Republican leaders wrote to the president asking for “legislative text for any of your ideas in a manner that can be scored by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.”
“The House and our committees will immediately begin the process of reviewing and considering your proposals,” they said. “We will examine the impact of your proposals on both short and long term economic growth and we will identify modifications and additional ideas that could achieve economic and job growth in a manner that may be more impactful or effective.
“In addition, the House will continue with the jobs agenda outlined last month, which among other things would provide relief to our nation’s job creators-especially small businesses---from the high costs of some of your Administration’s pending regulatory actions,” the GOP leaders explained.
Rethinking the role of federal regulations continues to be a common theme in House hearings this week. Look for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to highlight the need for regulatory reform with a Wednesday hearing: "How a Broken Process Leads to Flawed Regulations" Among the witnesses at the hearing are Cass Sunstein, the White House regulatory chief, who has long argued for restraint in the growth of federal regulations. A cattle rancher from Colorado is also scheduled to testify and will focus her comments on USDA’s proposed GIPSA rule.
The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives added their voice to the chorus calling for regulatory relief on Friday, asking lawmaker to enact a two-year moratorium on all discretionary, nonessential regulatory action that would have the effect of increasing the cost of agricultural production. For more on this story, go to http://www.agri-pulse.com/
For other hearings, reports and events this week, see the list below.
Monday September 12, 2011
10:00 am. Secretary Tom Vilsack addresses the National Farmers Union Annual Fly-In, Jefferson Auditorium, South Building, USDA.
4:00 pm. Senate Finance Committee Hearing to Consider the Nominations of Joseph H. Gale, Michael W. Punke, Islam A. Siddiqui, Paul Piquado, and David S. Johanson, 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building
USDA Reports: World Agricultural Production, Oilseeds: World Markets and Trade, Grains: World Markets and Trade, Cotton: World Markets and Trade, Season-Average Price Forecasts, Aquaculture Data, Crop Progress
Tuesday September 13, 2011
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Rural Development, Research, Biotechnology, and Foreign Agriculture will hold a public hearing titled, “Agricultural Program Audit: Examination of USDA Rural Development Programs.” 1300 Longworth House Office Building.
10:00 am, House Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on National Parks, Forest and Public Lands hearing on H.R. 302, H.R. 758, H.R. 817, H.R. 845, H.R. 846 and H.R. 2147. 1334 Longworth House Office Building.
10:00 am, The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Regulatory Affairs, Stimulus Oversight and Government Spending will hold a hearing entitled, "Take Two: The President's Proposal to Stimulate the Economy and Create Jobs" 2154 Rayburn House Office Building.
10:00 a.m. House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power
Markup of H.R. 2250, the “EPA Regulatory Relief Act of 2011,” and H.R. 2681, the “Cement Sector Regulatory Relief Act of 2011” 2123 Rayburn House Office Building
2:00 pm - United States Senate Committee on Finance Subcommittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Growth, holds a hearing: “Examining Whether There is a Role for Tax Reform in Comprehensive Deficit Reduction and U.S. Fiscal Policy.” Former Federal Reserve Board Chairaman Alan Greenspan is scheduled to testify. 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building
USDA Reports: Oil Crops Outlook, Cotton and Wool Outlook, Rice Outlook
Wednesday September 14, 2011
9:30 am. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing entitled, "How a Broken Process Leads to Flawed Regulations" Among the witnesses at the hearing are Cass Sunstein, administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), and a cattle rancher from Colorado, who will focus her comments on USDA’s proposed GIPSA rule. 2154 of Rayburn House Office Building.
10:00 a.m., House Committee on Natural Resources will hold a full committee oversight hearing on "Creating American Jobs by Harnessing Our Resources: Domestic Mining Opportunities and Hurdles." 1324 Longworth House Office Building.
1:30 p.m., House Committee on Agriculture, Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry will hold a public hearing titled, “Examination of the issue of feed availability and its effect on the livestock and poultry industries.” 1300 Longworth House Office Building.
USDA Reports: Wheat Outlook, Feed Outlook, Broiler Hatchery
Thursday September 15, 2011
9:30 am - 12:00 pm, House Committee on Science, Space and Technology will hold a full committee hearing, “EPA's Cross-State Air Pollution Rule.” 2318 Rayburn House.
USDA Reports: U.S. Export Sales, Meat Price Spreads, Turkey Hatchery, Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook
Friday September 16, 2011
USDA Reports: Dairy Products Prices, Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry Outlook, Peanut Prices, Livestock Historical Track Records
For more Agri-Pulse news, go to http://www.agri-pulse.com/
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