Cantor outlines deregulation agenda for remainder of 2011

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) told The Hill earlier this month that these two bills would be part of the House GOP jobs agenda starting in September.

Cantor said another broad bill would rework the Administrative Procedures Act, which governs the way the Executive Branch issues new rules and regulations. He said these three bills should be on the floor in November and early December.

Cantor also outlined plans to take up bills that would repeal a 3 percent withholding tax on payments made to government contractors, and allow small companies to deduct 20 percent of their income. Aside from these plans, he offered a rough timeline for action on other narrow deregulation bills dealing with specific environmental, healthcare and business issues:

Week of Sept. 12

H.R. 2587, Protection Jobs from Government Interference Act. Introduced by Rep. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), this bill would prevent the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) from blocking employer relocation decisions.

Week of Sept. 19

H.R. 2401, Transparency in Regulatory Analysis of Impacts on the Nation Act. This bill, from Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.), would ease environmental rules that relate to utility plans.

Week of Oct. 3

H.R. 2250, the EPA Regulatory Relief Act. From Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.), the bill would stay four Environmental Protection Agency regulations related to industrial and commercial boilers.

October/November

H.R. 2273, Coals Residuals Reuse and Management Act. The bill from Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.) would create an enforceable minimum standard for the regulation of coal ash.

November/December

Pending legislation to repeal language in last year’s healthcare law that would force companies to alter existing healthcare plans.

Winter

Pending legislation to block a pending rule that would change current ozone standards, which Republicans say would cost more than $1 trillion in regulatory costs.

H.R. 1633, the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act. This bill from Rep. Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) would prevent the EPA from readjusting particulate matter standards, which Republicans have said is an attempt to tighten regulations on “farm dust.”

Pending legislation to block pending new EPA rules on greenhouse gas standards.

Pending legislation to block a proposed NLRB rule that makes it easier to form unions.