Obama's regulatory machine

As the President gears up for his annual State of the Union address next week, you can bet he will discuss jobs and the economy--topics on the minds of many Americans who continue to struggle with our nation's sluggish climb out of recession. What he won't highlight is the bevy of job-crushing federal regulations his Administration continues to unleash on would-be job creators who are being forced to comply with new federal burdens.

Last year, the federal government added 80,224 pages of new regulations to the Federal Register. Stack them up and you have a tower of regulations that would dwarf the goalposts at Memorial Stadium. According to the American Action Forum, the Administration has already issued 2,074 pages of regulations in 2014 at a cost of $67.5 million.

I am hearing a growing chorus of concern from Nebraskans in a vast array of industries about how increased government regulations have hampered businesses and prevented expansion and hiring. Obamacare and its reams of regulations alone have even caused businesses to curtail hours for folks who are employed to avoid costly penalties. Some businesses face a $42,000 penalty for hiring their 51st employee because of the law and its regulations regarding the employer mandate.

While Obamacare's many burdens remain in the spotlight, they aren't the only examples of this Administration's cavalier focus on expanding its regulatory reach--even despite laws that draw clear jurisdictional boundaries. Take the recent example of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) attempt to fine a family farm in Nebraska for failing to comply with regulations that didn't even apply to family farm operations. Congress has protected family farms from OSHA regulations for more than 35 years, but that didn't stop the agency from skirting the law and slapping the farm with $132,000 in fines. In response, Congress passed a measure last week that included my language clarifying Congress's long-held protection of family farms and requiring OSHA to consult with the Department of Agriculture before attempting to regulate these operations in the future.

Admittedly, reasoned federal regulations have a place. We can all agree that a clean environment, safe workplace and secure transportation system are important, and measured federal regulations can help make it possible. But all too often, excessive one-size-fits-all regulations carry heavy unintended consequences for communities, businesses and families. As a result, hard-working folks who are already striving to overcome current economic challenges must now face added pressure from overzealous federal agencies.

This Administration's addiction to overregulation is a source of increased uncertainty and increased compliance costs that are impeding job creation and economic growth in America. If the President really wants to improve the economy and curb unemployment, his Administration needs to reverse the rising tide of expensive, oppressive regulations and focus instead on getting out of the way of those who are eager to innovate and employ our way to greater prosperity.