As many Americans plan Memorial Day weekend gatherings with friends and family, marking the kickoff of the summer travel season, House Republicans have been hard at work this week delivering on our Commitment to America for an economy that’s strong. In the midst of debt ceiling negotiations following the passage of our Limit, Save, Grow Act, we have continued to pass legislation to check a presidential administration which seems dead set on hobbling the economic vitality of American families and small businesses.
Economic indicators reveal a grim forecast for growth going into this summer. While our national and state unemployment rates are low, employers continue to struggle with a stifling workforce shortage. The reality is, the many workers who left their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic have not returned to work, and the U.S. civilian workforce participation rate remains far below pre-pandemic levels, not to mention participation levels prior the 2008 financial crisis. Connecting Americans who are able to work but are discouraged from even looking for a job to eager employers should be a top priority for the administration, yet the President has been more focused on radical, reckless proposals such as his student loan cancelation scheme.
This week, I supported the House passage of a resolution which would nullify under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) Biden’s student loan debt cancelation proposal. The CRA is a tool Congress possesses to rein in the executive branch allowing nullification, through votes in both the House and Senate, of regulations proposed by the executive branch, even if a regulation has already taken effect. This loan forgiveness scheme is nothing short of welfare for the well-off benefiting the highest earners while leaving working Americans who never attended college on the hook and adding hundreds of billions of dollars to the national debt.
Another CRA measure passed by the House with my support this week would block an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule applying more stringent emissions standards on heavy-duty trucks, including farm trucks such as F-250s and semi-trucks which transport goods across the nation. Senator Fischer sponsored this resolution when it passed the Senate on April 26. Unfortunately, President Biden is expected to veto the resolution.
On May 25, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of a challenge to the EPA’s absurd Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule which threatens to cripple farmers and ranchers by giving the federal government jurisdiction over puddles, ditches, and other non-navigable water never intended to be covered by the federal Clean Water Act. The ruling was a win for farmers, ranchers, and all of rural America. Biden’s emissions standards and WOTUS would devastate communities, hardworking families, and small business owners across Nebraska – which would inevitably lead to even greater inflation for consumers.
Facing the threat of economic downturn, we cannot afford to stack up wasteful spending, shrug our shoulders at runaway debt, and pile additional regulatory burdens onto taxpayers. House Republicans are doing their part to confront these challenges and provide relief to the American people. Meanwhile, Democrats have shown a reluctance to negotiate in good faith with little to offer in terms of a responsible solution.