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VOTE AGAINST MY GOOD FRIEND,
MARIA CANTWELL'S AMENDMENT, AND
MOVE THE BILL FORWARD.
WITH THAT, MADAM PRESIDENT, I
YIELD THE FLOOR.
MADAM PRESIDENT?
SENATOR FROM UTAH.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I
RISE TO EXPRESS MY CONTINUED
SUPPORT FOR THE AMERICA INVENTS
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON PATENT
YEARS NOW.
IN FACT, ALMOST THE WHOLE TIME
I'VE BEEN IN THE SENATE.
SO IT IS SATISFY TO SEE THE
SENATE AGAIN VOTING ON THIS
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT
THIS BILL BEFORE US IS THE SAME
ONE THAT WAS PASSED BY THE
REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES IN JUNE.
I COMMEND HOUSE JUDICIARY
CHAIRMAN LAMAR SMITH FOR HIS
LEGISLATION.
HE HAS REALLY WORKED ***
THIS FOR MANY YEARS, AND I
REALLY WANT TO PAY PERSONAL
TRIBUTE TO HIM.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
EFFORTS OF MY COLLEAGUE FROM
VERMONT, SENATE JUDICIARY
LEAHY.
OVER THE YEARS HE AND I WORKED
TIRELESSLY TO BRING ABOUT LONG
OVERDUE REFOREMAN TO OUR PATENT
SYSTEM AND I APPRECIATE PAT FOR
HIS WORK ON THIS MATTER.
I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE
EFFORTS OF SENATE JUDICIARY
COMMITTEE RANKING MEMBER CHUCK
GRASSLEY OF IOWA AS WELL AS MANY
OTHER SENATE COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE
BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
THE U.S. CONSTITUTION IS THE
SUPREME LAW OF THE LAND AND THE
SHORTEST OPERATING CONSTITUTION
IN THE WORLD.
FOUNDERS PUT ONLY THE MOST
ESSENTIAL PROVISIONS IN IT,
LISTING ARE THE MOST ESSENTIAL
RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND THE
MOST ESSENTIAL POWERS THAT THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD HAVE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK MADE IT ON TO
THAT SHORT LIST?
RAISING AND SUPPORTING THE ARMY
AND MAINTAINING A NAVY?
NO QUESTION THERE.
COINING MONEY?
THAT ONE IS NO SURPRISE.
LIST.
HERE'S THE LANGUAGE: THE
FOUNDERS GRANTED TO CONGRESS THE
POWER -- QUOTE -- "TO PROMOTE
THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE AND
USEFUL ARTS BY SECURING FOR
AUTHORS AND INVENTORS THE
EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO THEIR
RESPECTIVE WRITINGS AND
IN OTHER WORDS, THE PATENTS OF
COPYRIGHTS IS ONE OF THE
ESSENTIAL SPECIFICALLY
GOVERNMENT.
IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST
VISIONARY FORWARD LOOKING
PROVISIONS IN THE U.S.
THOMAS JEFFERSON UNDERSTOOD THAT
GIVING PEOPLE AN EXCLUSIVE RIGHT
TO PROFIT FROM THEIR INVENTIONS
WOULD GIVE THEM -- QUOTE --
"ENCOURAGEMENT TO PURSUE IDEAS
WHICH MAY PRODUCE UTILITY."
YET, JEFFERSON ALSO RECOGNIZED
THE IMPORTANCE OF STRIKING A
BALANCE WHEN IT CAME TO GRANTING
PATENTS, A TKEUFGT TASK.
HE -- A TKEUFGT TASK.
HE SAID I KNOW WELL THE
DIFFICULTY OF DRAWING A LINE
BETWEEN THINGS WHICH ARE WORTH
TO THE PUBLIC, THE EMBARRASSMENT
OF AN EXCLUSIVE PATENT AND THOSE
WHICH ARE NOT.
AS THE INVENTOR AND STATESMAN,
HE UNDERSTOOD GRANTING A PERSON
AN EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO PROFIT
FROM THEIR INVENTION WAS NOT A
DECISION THAT SHOULD BE TAKEN
LIGHTLY.
THIS BILL IS NOT PERFECT, BUT I
AM PLEASED WITH THE DELIBERATIVE
PROCESS THAT LED TO ITS
DEVELOPMENT.
AND I AM CONFIDENT THAT CONGRESS
FOLLOWED JEFFERSON'S LEAD UNTIL
STRIKING A BALANCED APPROACH TO
THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT THAT
PATENT REFORM IS NECESSARY AND
IT'S LONG OVERDUE.
EVERY STATE IN THE COUNTRY HAS A
VESTED INTEREST IN AN UPDATED
PATENT SYSTEM.
WHEN PATENTS ARE DEVELOPED
COMMERCIALLY, THEY CREATE JOBS
BOTH THROUGH THE COMPANY
MARKETING PRODUCTS AND FOR THEIR
SUPPLIERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND
RETAILERS.
THE SINGLE -- ONE SINGLE
DEPLOYED PATENT AFFECTS MOST ALL
SECTORS OF OUR ECONOMY.
UTAHANS HAVE LONG UNDERSTOOD
THIS RELATIONSHIP.
OURS IS A RICH AND DIVERSE
INVENTIVE LEGACY.
IN THE EARLY 1900'S A YOUNG
TEENAGER APPROACHED HIS TEACHER
WORKING ON.
IT WAS A DRAWING INSPIRED BY THE
ROSE OF DIRNAN IN A PO E TAEU
TOW FIELD.
-- POTATO FIELD.
AFTER EXAMINING THE SKETCH THE
TEACHER TOLD THE STUDENT HE
SHOULD PURSUE HIS IDEA AND HE D.
THAT STUDENT WAS FARNSWORTH, WHO
WENT ON TO PATENT THE FIRST
ALL-ELECTRIC TELEVISION.
HE HAD TO FIGHT FOR MANY YEARS
TO SECURE THE RIGHTS TO HIS
PATENT BUT HE CONTINUED TO
INVENT, DEVELOPING AND PATENTING
HUNDREDS OF OTHER INVENTIONS.
ANOTHER UTAH NATIVE DEVELOPED A
WAY TO AMPLIFY SOUND AFTER HE
HAD TROUBLE HEARING IN THE
MORMON TAB PWER KNACK KEL.
HIS HEADPHONES WERE LATER
ORDERED BY THE NAVY DURING WORLD
WAR 1.
WILLIAM LAYTON GREW TIRED OF
MANUALLY CALCULATING HOW FAR HIS
WAGON COMPANY TRAVELED EACH DAY
SO IN THE PHEULGD OF A
JOURNEY -- MIDDLE OF A JOURNEY
HE AND OTHERS BUILT A
ROADOMETER, A -- AND IT WORKED
BASED ON THE SAME PRINCIPLES
THAT POWER MODERN ODOMETERS.
JOHN BROWNING, THE SON OF A
PIERN NEAR REVOLUTIONED THE
FIREARM SECURING HIS INVENTIONS
THROUGH A PATENT AND IS KNOWN
ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR THE WORK
HE
DID.
ROBERT JARVIK WHO WORKED AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, A WONDERFUL
DOCTOR WHO HE NOW PERSONALLY,
DEVELOPED THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL
ARTIFICIAL HEART AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH.
THIS ILLUSTRATE THE INGENUITY
THAT HAS BEEN EXEMPLIFIED IN
LAST YEAR UTAH WAS RECOGNIZED AS
ONE OF THE MOST INVENTIVE STATES
IN THE UNION.
SUCH A DISTINCTION DID NOT
SURPRISE ME ESPECIALLY SINCE THE
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RECENTLY
LOGGED THE UNIVERSITY'S
5,000th INVENTION DISCLOSURE
AND HAS OVER 4,000 PATENT
APPLICATIONS FILED TO DATE.
THIS IMPRESSIVE ACCOMPLISHMENT
FOLLOWS ON THE HEELS OF NEWS
THAT THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
OVERTOOK M.I.T. IN 2009 TO
BECOME AMERICA'S NUMBER ONE
RESEARCH INSTITUTION FOR
CREATING STARTUP COMPANIES BASED
ON UNIVERSITY TECHNOLOGY.
A GROUP OF STUDENTS AT BRIGHAM
YOUNG UNIVERSITY RECENTLY
DESIGNED A CIRCUIT THAT WAS
LAUNCHED WITH THE SHUTTLE
ENDEAVOUR AND ANOTHER GROUP
DEVELOPED A PROSTHETIC LEG THAT
COST $25 VERSUS THE $10,000 A
PROSTHETIC LEG MAY TYPICALLY
COST.
INVENTORS CONTRIBUTE, LIKE MY
FELLOW UTAHANS, CITIZENS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY RECOGNIZE THE
TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IS
INTEGRAL TO THE WELL-BEING OF
OUR ECONOMY AND THE PROSPERITY
OF OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.
AND AS TECHNOLOGY ADVANCES IT IS
NECESSARY AT TIMES TO MAKE
ADJUSTMENTS THAT WILL ENSURE
CONGRESS IS PROMOTING THE
HEALTHY PROGRESS OF SCIENCE AND
USEFUL ARTS.
THE AMERICA INVENTS ACT WILL
IMPROVE THE PATENT PROCESS,
GIVING INVENTORS IN UTAH AND
ACROSS THE COUNTRY GREATER
INCENTIVES TO INNOVATE.
STRENGTHENING OF OUR PATENT
SYSTEM WILL NOT ONLY HELP US
LEAD OUT OF THESE TOUGH
TIMES -- WILL HELP LEAD US OUT
OF THESE TOUGH TIMES, TOUGH
ECONOMIC TIMES, BUT IT WILL
HELP US MAINTAIN OUR COMPETITIVE
EDGE BETH DOMESTICALLY AND
TAKE FOR EXAMPLE THE TRANSITION
TO A FIRST INVENTOR TO FILE
SYSTEM AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
A POIFT POST-GRANT REVIEW
PROCESS OR PROCEDURE.
THESE CHANGES ALONE WILL
DECREASE LITIGATION COSTS SO
THAT SMALL COMPANIES AND
INDIVIDUALS WILL NOT BE
DISSUADED FROM PROTECTING THEIR
PATENT RIGHTS BY COMPANIES WITH
GREATER RESOURCES.
THE BILL PROVIDES THE USPTO WITH
RULE MAKING AUTHORITY TO SET OR
ADJUST ITS OWN FEES FOR SEVEN
YEARS WITHOUT REQUIRING A
STATUTORY CHANGE EVERY TIME AN
ADJUSTMENT IS NEEDED.
PROVIDING THE US U.S. P.T.O.
WITH ABILITY TO ADJUST ITS OWN
FEES WILL GIVE THE AGENCY
GREATER FLEXIBILITY AND CONTROL
WHICH WILL BENEFIT INVENTORS AND
BUSINESSES.
THE LEGISLATION ENABLES
PATENTHOLDERS TO REQUEST A
SUPPLEMENT EXAMINATION OF A
PATENT IF NEW INFORMATION ARISES
AFTER THE INITIAL EXAMINATION.
BY ESTABLISHING THIS NEW
PROCESS, THE U.S. P.T.O. WOULD
BE ASKED TO CONSIDER,
RECONSIDER OR CORRECT
INFORMATION BELIEVED TO BE
RELEVANT TO THE PATENT.
FURTHER, THIS PROVISION DOES
NOT LIMIT THE U.S. P.T.O.'S
AUTHORITY TO INVESTIGATE
MISCONDUCT OR TO SANCTION BAD
ACTORS.
I AM CONFIDENT THIS WILL REMOVE
THE UNCERTAINTY AND CONFUSION
THAT DEFINES CURRENT PATENT
LITIGATION AND I BELIEVE IT WILL
ENHANCE PATENT QUALITY.
THE AMERICA INVENTS ACT CREATES
A MECHANISM FOR THIRD PARTIES TO
SUBMIT RELEVANT INFORMATION
DURING THE PATENT EXAMINATION
PROCESS.
THIS PROVISION WILL PROVIDE THE
U.S. P.T.O. WITH BETTER
INFORMATION ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY
AND CLAIMED INVENTION BY
LEVERAGING THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE
PUBLIC.
THIS WILL ALSO HELP THE AGENCY
INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF
EXAMINATION AND THE QUALITY OF
PATENTS.
THIS BILL WOULD CREATE A RESERVE
FUND FOR USER FEES THAT EXCEED
THE AMOUNT APPROPRIATED TO THE
U.S. P.T.O.
I PREFER THE LANGUAGE IN THE
SENATE-PASSED BILL WHICH CREATED
A NEW REVOLVING FUND FOR THE
U.S. P.T.O. SEPARATE FROM ANNUAL
APPROPRIATIONS.
CERTAINTY IS IMPORTANT FOR
FUTURE PLANNING BUT THE
APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS IS FAR
FROM RELIABLE.
WHILE CONCEPTUALLY I UNDERSTAND
WHY OUR HOUSE COUNTERPARTS
REVISED THE SENATE PASSED
LANGUAGE AND I AM IN AGREEMENT
ABOUT MAINTAINING CONGRESSIONAL
OVERSIGHT I BELIEVE THIS IS ONE
RECONSIDERED.
IT'S JUST THAT IMPORTANT.
THAT IS WHY I SUPPORT SENATOR
TOM COBURN'S AMENDMENT.
IF PASSED, HIS AMENDMENT WILL
PRESERVE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT
AND GIVE THE U.S. P.T.O. THE
NECESSARY FLEXIBILITY TO OPERATE
DURING THESE CRITICAL TIMES.
THE HOUSE-PASSED COMPROMISE
LANGUAGE IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE
CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE
APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE HAS
COMMITTED THAT ALL FEES
COLLECTED BY THE U.S. P.T.O. IN
EXCESS OF ITS ANNUAL
APPROPRIATED LEVEL WILL BE
AVAILABLE TO THE U.S. P.T.O.
HOWEVER, I REMAIN CONCERNED
THAT THE BUDGET UNCERTAINTIES
THAT EXIST TODAY MAY NEGATIVELY
IMPACT THE U.S. P.T.O. AND ITS
ABILITY TO IMPLEMENT MANY OF THE
NEW RESPONSIBILITIES REQUIRED BY
THE AMERICA INVENTS ACT.
I REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT SOME
PROVISIONS THAT THE HOUSE EITHER
EXPANDED OR ADDED.
ON BALANCE, HOWEVER, THE
POSITIVES OF THIS LEGISLATION
FAR OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVES AND I
AM CONFIDENT IT WILL CONTRIBUTE
TO THE GREATER INNOVATION AND
PRODUCTIVITY OUR ECONOMY
IT PROVIDES ESSENTIAL UP
FROSSMENTS OUR PATENT SYSTEM
SUCH AS CHANGES TO THE BEST MODE
DISCLOSURE REQUIREMENT,
EXPANSION OF THE PRIOR USER
RIGHTS DEFENSE TO AFFILIATES
WITH AN EXEMPTION FOR UNIVERSITY
ON PATENTS, INCENTIVES FOR
GOVERNMENT LABORATORIES TO
COMMERCIALIZE INVENTIONS,
RESTRICTIONS ON FALSE MARKING
CLAIMS, REMOVAL OF RESTRICTIONS
ON THE RESIDENCY OF FEDERAL
CIRCUIT JUDGES, CLARIFICATION
OF PATENTS, PROVIDING
ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESSES
THROUGH -- THROUGH A PATENT
OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM AND
ESTABLISHING ADDITIONAL U.S.
P.T.O. SATELLITE OFFICES.
MADAM PRESIDENT, WE ALL KNOW
THAT EVERY PIECE OF LEGISLATION
HAS ITS SHORT COMINGS.
THAT IS THE REALITY OF OUR
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
HOWEVER, TAKEN AS A WHOLE, THE
AMERICA INVENTS ACT FURTHER
BUILDS UPON OUR COUNTRY'S RICH
HERITAGE OF INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY PROTECTIONS, A
CORNERSTONE PROVIDED BY ARTICLE
1, SECTION 8 OF THE
CONSTITUTION.
PACKAGE OF THE AMERICA INVENTS
ACT WILL UPDATE OUR PATENT
SYSTEM -- EXCUSE ME, HELP
STRENGTHEN OUR ECONOMY, AND
PROVIDE A SPRINGBOARD FOR
FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS.
I URGE ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES TO
JOIN IN THIS MONUMENTAL
UNDERTAKING, MADAM PRESIDENT,
AND I APPRECIATE THOSE WHO HAVE
WORKED SO HARD AND LONG ON THESE
PROGRAMS.
AGAIN, I MENTION WITH
PARTICULARITY THE CONGRESSMAN
FROM TEXAS, LAMAR SMITH, AND
ALSO MY FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE,
SENATOR LEAHY AND OTHERS AS
WELL, SENATOR GRASSLEY
ESPECIALLY, AND THERE ARE
OTHERS AS WELL I SHOULD
MENTION, BUT I'LL LEAVE IT AT
THAT FOR THIS PARTICULAR TIME.
MADAM PRESIDENT, I SUGGEST THE
ABSENCE OF A QUORUM.
THE CLERK
WILL CALL THE ROLL.
QUORUM CALL:
THE
SENATOR FROM NORTH DAKOTA.
I ASK THAT THE
QUORUM CALL BE DISPENSED WITH.
OBJECTION.
PRESIDENT.
I RISE TODAY TO SPEAK ON A
MATTER OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO
OUR COUNTRY, AND THAT'S JOBS AND
OUR ECONOMY.
I KNOW THE PRESIDENT WILL BE
SPEAKING THIS EVENING, AND I
WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE
THAT WE FOCUS ON A LONG-TERM
STRATEGY TO GET OUR ECONOMY
GOING.
BY THAT, I MEAN A PRO-JOBS,
PRO-GROWTH ECONOMIC STRATEGY FOR
OUR COUNTRY.
THE THINGS THAT GO INTO THAT
INCLUDE BUILDING THE BEST
POSSIBLE BUSINESS CLIMATE, THE
KIND OF BUSINESS CLIMATE THAT
WILL STIMULATE PRIVATE
INVESTMENT, THAT WILL STIMULATE
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, INGENUITY, IT
WILL STIMULATE JOB CREATION BY
BUSINESSES SMALL AND LARGE
ACROSS OUR ECONOMY.
WE NEED TO BUILD A STRONG
BUSINESS CLIMATE.
WE NEED A LONG-TERM, PRO-GROWTH
ECONOMIC STRATEGY TO DO THAT.
WE ALSO NEED TO CONTROL OUR
SPENDING AND LIVE WITHIN OUR
MEANS, AND WE NEED A
COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY POLICY.
ALL THREE OF THESE THINGS GO
LONG-TERM, COMPREHENSIVE
APPROACH THAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS
TO GET OUR ECONOMY GROWING AND
GET PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
I'D LIKE TO START BY TAKING JUST
A MINUTE TO LOOK AT OUR CURRENT
WE ARE.
IF YOU LOOK AT UNEMPLOYMENT,
UNEMPLOYMENT IS MORE THAN 9% AND
IT'S BEEN MORE THAN 9% FOR AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
WEEKLY JOBLESS CLAIMS, MORE THAN
WE HAVE MORE THAN 14 MILLION
PEOPLE WHO ARE OUT OF WORK, AND
THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE PEOPLE WHO
ARE UNDEREMPLOYED OR PEOPLE WHO
ARE NO LONGER WORKING, NO LONGER
LOOKING FOR WORK BECAUSE THEY
HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED AND AREN'T
INCLUDED IN THE WORK FORCE.
14 MILLION PEOPLE THAT WE NEED
TO GET BACK TO WORK.
WE ALSO HAVE A TREMENDOUS
DEFICIT PROBLEM.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR REVENUE
TODAY, WE HAVE REVENUES OF ABOUT
ABOUT $2.2 TRILLION.
WE HAVE OUR SPENDING AT A RATE
OF $3.7 TRILLION.
THAT'S $1.5 TRILLION DEFICIT,
AND THAT'S ADDING UP TO A MORE
THAN $14 TRILLION DEBT.
$14 TRILLION DEBT THAT WEIGHS ON
OUR ECONOMY.
IF WE DON'T DEAL WITH IT, IT IS
A DEBT THAT OUR CHILDREN WILL
HAVE TO PAY.
THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR US,
AND WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE GET
THIS ECONOMY GOING.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR CURRENT
SITUATION, WE'RE BORROWING 40
CENTS OF EVERY DOLLAR THAT WE
SPEND AND THAT OUR DEBT, OUR
DEFICIT, OUR DEBT IS GROWING AT
AT $4 BILLION A DAY.
I BROUGHT SOME GRAPHS SO WE CAN
LOOK AT IT GRAPHICALLY.
HERE YOU SEE REVENUES AND
SPENDING.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE SPENDING LINE
IS THE RED LINE ALONG THE TOP
SPENDING OF MORE THAN
THAN $3.7 TRILLION A YEAR.
AT THE SAME TIME OUR REVENUES
REVENUES $2.2 TRILLION.
THAT GAP, $1.5 TRILLION BUDGET
DEFICIT THAT WE ARE ACCUMULATING
ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND AS I SAY
IS NOW LEADING TO A DEBT THAT'S
MORE THAN $14 TRILLION.
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS NEXT CHART,
WE TALK ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT.
UNEMPLOYMENT.
CURRENTLY WE'RE AT 9.1%.
WE HAVE BEEN THERE FOR AN
EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME.
AGAIN, THAT REPRESENTS MORE THAN
14 MILLION PEOPLE THAT ARE
UNEMPLOYED, THAT WE NEED TO GET
BACK TO WORK.
NOW, THE OTHER THING YOU WILL
NOTICE ON THIS CHART IS THE BLUE
THIS BLUE LINE IS THE CHART FOR
MY HOME STATE.
THERE YOU WILL SEE OUR
UNEMPLOYMENT IS ABOUT 3.2% TO
FOR THE LAST DECADE IN OUR
STATE, WE HAVE FOCUSED ON A
PRO-GROWTH, PRO-JOBS ECONOMIC
STRATEGY.
BY THAT, I MEAN BUILDING THE
BEST POSSIBLE BUSINESS CLIMATE,
MAKING SURE WE LIVE WITHIN OUR
MEANS AND BUILDING A
COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY APPROACH TO
DEVELOP ALL OF OUR ENERGY
RESOURCES, AND THERE IS NO
REASON THAT WE CAN'T DO THE SAME
THING AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
IN FACT, WE NEED TO DO EXACTLY
THAT AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
SO I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT
SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED
TO DO TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
THE FIRST IS THAT I EMPHASIZE BY
BUILDING A GOOD BUSINESS
CLIMATE, I MEAN LEGAL TAX AND
REGULATORY CERTAINTY.
LEGAL TAX AND REGULATORY
CERTAINTY SO THAT BUSINESSES
KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD SO
THAT THEY CAN INVEST, THEY CAN
INVEST SHAREHOLDERS' DOLLARS SO
THAT ENTREPRENEURS CAN START NEW
BUSINESSES SO THAT EXISTING
BUSINESSES CAN EXPAND.
BUT TO DO THAT, THEY NEED TO
KNOW THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
THEY NEED TO KNOW WHAT OUR TAX
POLICY IS.
AND RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A TAX
POLICY THAT EXPIRES AT THE END
OF THE NEXT YEAR.
SO HOW DO YOU AS A
BUSINESSPERSON GO OUT THIS AND
START MAKING INVESTMENTS WHEN
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE TAX
POLICY IS GOING TO BE BEYOND THE
END OF NEXT YEAR?
WE NEED TAX REFORM.
HOW ABOUT REGULATION?
WE HAVE INCREDIBLE REGULATORY
HOW DO YOU GO OUT THERE AND MAKE
AN INVESTMENT, GET A BUSINESS
GOING, HIRE PEOPLE IF YOU DON'T
KNOW WHAT THE REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS ARE?
WE NEED TO REDUCE THAT PREGNANT
WE NEED TO PASS TRADE AGREEMENTS
SO THAT OUR COMPANIES CAN SELL
NOT JUST HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES BUT THEY CAN SELL
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF
OUR COUNTRY, IF YOU LOOK AT THE
HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY, THAT IS
HOW WE HAVE GROWN THIS ECONOMY.
THAT IS HOW WE HAVE BECOME THE
MOST DYNAMIC ECONOMIC ENGINE IN
THE WORLD.
IT'S THROUGH THAT
ENTREPRENEURSHIP, THAT AMERICAN
INGENUITY.
AND THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IS TO
CREATE A BUSINESS CLIMATE THAT
UNLEASHES THAT POTENTIAL.
WE HAVE GOT TO ROLL BACK THE
REGULATORY BURDEN.
WE HAVE GOT TO CREATE CLEAR,
UNDERSTANDABLE RULES AND TAX
POLICY TO FOLLOW SO THAT THESE
COMPANIES CAN MAKE THESE
INVESTMENTS, GET THE
14-PLUS-MILLION PEOPLE BACK TO
WORK, AT THE SAME TIME WE GET A
LIVING WITHIN OUR MEANS.
THAT'S HOW WE NOT ONLY RAISE OUR
STANDARD OF LIVING AND OUR
QUALITY OF LIFE, BUT WE MAKE
SURE THAT WE DON'T PASS ON A
HUGE DEBT TO OUR CHILDREN AND
OUR GRANDCHILDREN.
SO LET ME TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE
KINDS OF LAWS AND LEGISLATION
THAT WE NEED TO PASS TO MAKE
SURE THAT HAPPENS.
NOT TOO LONG AGO, PRESIDENT
OBAMA ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER,
AND I HOPE IT'S SOMETHING THAT
HE TALKS ABOUT THIS EVENING IN
HIS ADDRESS TO THE JOINT SESSION
OF CONGRESS.
IN THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER, HE SAID
ALL OF THE AGENCIES, ALL OF THE
FEDERAL AGENCIES NEED TO LOOK AT
THEIR REGULATIONS.
AT THEIR EXISTING REGULATIONS
AND ANY REGULATIONS THAT THEY
ARE PUTTING OUT AND MAKE SURE
THAT IF THOSE REGULATIONS ARE
COSTLY, BURDENSOME, IF THEY
DON'T MAKE SENSE, IF THEY ARE
OUTMODED OR OUTDATED, THAT THEY
ARE ELIMINATED, THAT THEY ARE
STRIPPED AWAY SO THAT WE EMPOWER
PEOPLE, COMPANIES THROUGHOUT
THIS GREAT COUNTRY TO DO
BUSINESS.
MAKE SURE THE EXECUTIVE ORDER,
MAKE SURE ALL OF OUR AGENCIES
LOOK AT THEIR REGULATIONS AND
ELIMINATE THOSE THAT DON'T MAKE
SENSE, THAT ARE COSTLY AND THAT
ARE BURDENSOME SO THAT WE CAN
STIMULATE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND
JOB CREATION IN THIS COUNTRY.
THAT.
IN FACT, LET'S MAKE IT A LAW.
LET'S MAKE IT THE LAW THAT ALL
OF THE REGULATORY AGENCIES NEED
TO LOOK AT THEIR EXISTING
REGULATION AND ANY REGULATIONS
THEY ARE LOOKING AT PUTTING OUT
TO MAKE DARNED SURE THAT THEY
ARE CLEAR, STRAIGHTFORWARD,
UNDERSTANDABLE, THAT THEY ARE
WORKABLE, AND NOT ONLY THAT OUR
REGULATIONS ARE CLEAR AND
UNDERSTANDABLE, THAT THE
REGULATORS WORK WITH AMERICANS
AND AMERICAN COMPANIES TO MAKE
SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THEM
AND THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO MEET
THEM SO THAT THEY CAN PURSUE
THEIR BUSINESS PLANS, THEIR
BUSINESS GROWTH, THEIR BUSINESS
INVESTMENT AND THEIR -- AND THAT
THEY HIRE AND PUT PEOPLE BACK TO
WORK.
THAT'S HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO
WORK.
WORK.
TOGETHER WITH SENATOR PAT
ROBERTS OF KANSAS AND MYSELF AND
OTHERS HAVE PUT TOGETHER THE
REGULATORY RESPONSIBILITY FOR
THAT'S JUST WHAT IT SAYS.
NOW, HOW MUCH MORE BIPARTISAN
CAN WE GET THAN THAT?
THE PRESIDENT PUTS OUT AN
EXECUTIVE ORDER SAYING WE NEED
TO ROLL BACK SOME OF THIS
REGULATION THAT'S BURDENING OUR
BUSINESS BASE, THEN WE AS
REPUBLICAN SENATORS SAY OKAY,
HERE'S AN ACT TO PUT THAT
EXECUTIVE ORDER INTO LAW, LET'S
WORK TOGETHER IN A BIPARTISAN
WAY TO REDUCE THIS REGULATORY
BURDEN THAT IS STIFLING ECONOMIC
GROWTH AND JOB CREATION IN OUR
COUNTRY.
THAT'S WHAT CONGRESS IS SUPPOSED
TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
THAT'S WHAT THE PEOPLE OF THIS
COUNTRY WANT US TO DO ON A
BIPARTISAN BASIS.
SO WHEN THE PRESIDENT COMES TO
THE CAPITOL THIS EVENING AND
TALKS ABOUT HOW WE GET BUSINESS
GOING, LET'S GET BUSINESS GOING
BY REDUCING THIS REGULATORY
BURDEN SO THAT PRIVATE
INVESTMENT CAN GET PEOPLE BACK
TO WORK IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT'S NOT ABOUT MORE GOVERNMENT
SPENDING.
IT'S ABOUT PRIVATE INVESTMENT
AND PRIVATE INITIATIVE.
WE HAVE TO CREATE THE FRAMEWORK
TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
AND WE CAN DO IT AND WE CAN DO
IT ON A BIPARTISAN BASIS.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE: THE UNITED
STATES HAS BEEN THE LEADER IN
AVIATION THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY.
THROUGHOUT THE HISTORY OF
AVIATION SINCE KITTYHAWK, THE
UNITED STATES HAS LED THE WORLD
IN AVIATION.
INVENTION, IN DEVELOPMENT, IN
INNOVATION AND ALL THE THINGS
THAT HAVE GONE INTO THE
DEVELOPMENT OF AVIATION
THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY THE
UNITED STATES HAS BEEN A LEADER.
ONE OF THE KEY AREAS FOR GROWTH
IN AVIATION RIGHT NOW IS U UAS,
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT, REMOTELY
PILOTED AIRCRAFT.
OUR MILITARY USES THEM TO
TREMENDOUS BENEFIT IN IRAQ,
AFGHANISTAN, AROUND THE WORLD.
EVEN THOUGH OUR MILITARY FLIES
U.A.S. UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS
ALL OVER THE GLOBE, WE CAN'T
FLY THEM HERE IN THE UNITED
STATES TOGETHER WITH MANNED
AIRCRAFT.
BUT YET IF WE'RE GOING TO
CONTINUE TO LEAD THE WORLD IN
AVIATION INNOVATION, WE HAVE
GOT TO FIND A WAY TO FLY BOTH
MANNED AND UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
TOGETHER IN OUR AIRSPACE HERE IN
THE UNITED STATES.
SO MYSELF AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN
TALKING TO THE F.A.A. AND
WORKING WITH THE FEDERAL
AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SAYING
HEY, YOU HAVE GOT TO PROMULGATE
RULES, SET THE RULES OF THE
ROAD OR IN THIS CASE THE RULES
OF THE AIR, SO WE CAN FLY BOTH
MANNED AND UNMANNED AIRCRAFT
TOGETHER IN THE UNITED STATES
AIRSPACE.
AND THE F.A.A. HAS BEEN WORKING
ON THIS FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW
LONG BUT A LONG PERIOD OF TIME
AND AS OF YET, THEY'VE NOT COME
OUT WITH THOSE RULES OF THE ROAD
SO WE CAN FLY BOTH MAPPED AND
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT IN OUR
BUT WE NEED TO BUT IF WE DON'T,
OTHER COUNTRIES WILL MOVE AHEAD
MAYBE NOT IN MILITARY AVIATION
WHERE WE'RE FLYING ALL --
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT ALL OVER THE
WORLD BUT HOW ABOUT IN
COMMERCIAL AND GENERAL AVIATION
AND ALL THE OTHER APPLICATIONS
THAT WILL HAVE FOR UNMANNED
AIRCRAFT?
SO IN THE F.A.A. BILL WHICH
WE'RE NOW WORKING TO COMPLETE,
A VERSION HAS PASSED THE HOUSE,
A VERSION HAS PASSED THE
SENATE, WE'RE TRYING TO
RECONCILE THE TWO VERSIONS AND
GET IT PASSED, AGAIN, WE NEED
TO DO THIS AND DO IT IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY.
I'VE INCLUDED LANGUAGE THAT
AUTHORIZES AND IN FACT REQUIRES
THAT THE F.A.A. SET UP AIRSPACE
IN THE UNITED STATES SO THAT
MANNED AND UNMANNED AIRCRAFT CAN
BE FLOWN CURRENTLY.
AGAIN, -- CON CONCURRENTLY.
IT'S ABOUT CREATING EXCITING,
GOOD-PAYING JOBS OF THE FUTURE.
AND IF THE AGENCY ISN'T GOING TO
TAKE THAT STEP, THEN WE AS
CONGRESS HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE TAKE THAT STEP AND MOVE THE
AVIATION INDUSTRY FORWARD.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'VE GOT
TO CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT, THE
FORUM THAT ENCOURAGES THAT TYPE
OF INNOVATION,
JOB CREATION.
THAT IS OUR ROLE.
THAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY IN
THIS MOST IMPORTANT OF WALL
ISSUES WHICH IS GETTING OUR CAN
ECONOMY GOING AND GETTING PEOPLE
BACK TO WORK.
ONE OTHER AREA I'LL TOUCH ON IS
THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS.
WE HAVE THREE PENDING FREE TRADE
ONE IS WITH SOUTH KOREA.
THE U.S.-SOUTH KOREA TREATMENT.
ANOTHER ONE IS PANAMA, ANOTHER
ONE IS COLOMBIA.
THOSE TRADE AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN
NEGOTIATED FOR SOME TIME.
FOR THREE YEARS, THOSE TRADE
AGREEMENTS HAVE BEEN PENDING.
IT'S TIME WE TAKE THEM FROM
PENDING TO PASSED.
WE NEED THE ADMINISTRATION TO
BRING THOSE FREE TRADE
AGREEMENTS TO THE SENATE AND TO
THE HOUSE AND WE WILL PASS THEM.
WE HAVE WORKED ACROSS THE AISLE
IN A BIPARTISAN WAY TO MAKE SURE
THAT WHATEVER ISSUES NEEDED TO
BE DEALT WITH TO BRING THOSE
FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS TO THE
CONGRESS HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH.
WHETHER IT'S TRADE ADJUSTMENT
AUTHORITY, WHATEVER IT IS, WE
HAVE WORKED TOGETHER IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY TO SAY LOOK, WE
HAVE ADDRESSED THE ISSUES, NOW
THE ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO
BRING THE FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS
TO THE SENATE FLOOR.
AND WE WILL PASS THEM.
JUST ONE OF THOSE FREE TRADE
AGREEMENTS FOR EXAMPLE IF WE
TAKE THE SOUTH KOREA,
U.S.-SOUTH KOREA FREE TRADE
AGREEMENT, WE'RE TALKING MORE
THAN $10 BILLION IN TRADE EVERY
YEAR.
$10 BILLION IN TRADE FOR OUR
UNITED STATES COMPANIES.
THESE -- THESE FREE TRADE
AGREEMENTS REDUCE TARIFFS ON THE
ORDER OF 85%.
WE'RE TALKING MORE THAN A
QUARTER OF A MILLION JOBS THAT
WILL BE CREATED IF WE PASS THESE
AGREEMENTS.
FOR EVERY 4% INCREASE IN TRADE
WE'RE TALKING A MILLION AMERICAN
JOBS THAT WE CAN CREATE.
AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT CREATING THE
ENVIRONMENT THAT EMPOWERS
INVESTMENT, THAT EMPOWERS OUR
ENTREPRENEURS ACROSS THIS GREAT
COUNTRY THAT EMPOWERS BUSINESSES
LARGE AND SMALL TO INVEST AND TO
GET OUR ECONOMY GOING.
AT THE SAME TIME THAT WE GET
THIS ECONOMY GOING AND GROWING,
WE'VE GOT TO START LIVING WITHIN
OUR MEANS.
RIGHT NOW AS I JUST INDICATED,
WE HAVE A $1.5 TRILLION DEFICIT
AND A DEBT THAT'S CLOSING IN ON
SO AT THE SAME TIME WE GET THIS
ECONOMY GROWING WHICH WILL GROW
OUR REVENUES, NOT HIGHER
TAXES, REVENUES FROM A GROWING
ECONOMY WITH TAX REFORM THAT
EMPOWERS THAT ECONOMIC GROWTH,
AT THE SAME TIME WE'VE GOT TO
GET CONTROL OF OUR SPENDING AND
LIVE WITHIN OUR MEANS.
ALONG WITH MY FELLOW SENATORS
I'VE SPONSORED A NUMBER OF
PIECES OF LEGISLATION THAT AGAIN
I BELIEVE WE CAN PASS IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT
WE GET OUR SPENDING UNDER
THE FIRST IS A BALANCED BUDGET
I COME FROM A STATE, I WAS A
GOVERNOR FOR 10 YEARS.
WE HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET
AMENDMENT EVERY SINGLE YEAR WE
ARE REQUIRED BY OUR CONSTITUTION
TO BALANCE THE BUDGET.
STATES HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET
REQUIREMENT, BUSINESSES,
FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, ALL
HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN THEIR MEANS.
OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS TO
LIVE WITHIN ITS MEANS.
AND IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, A
BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT GETS
EVERYBODY INVOLVED.
WE NOT ONLY HAVE TO PASS IT HERE
IN THE SENATE AND OVER IN THE
HOUSE WITH A TWO-THIRDS
MAJORITY, BUT THEN IT GOES OUT
TO THE STATES FOR RATIFICATION.
WHAT BETTER WAY TO GET EVERYBODY
THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE COUNTRY
DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN MAKING SURE
THAT WE CONTROL OUR SPENDING?
WITH A BALANCED BUDGET
AMENDMENT.
SO IT'S ALL OF US WORKING
TOGETHER AS AMERICANS, IT'S THE
CONGRESS GOING TO THE PEOPLE OF
THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND SAYING
HERE'S A BALANCED BUDGET
YOU TELL US WHAT YOU THINK.
AGAIN, WHAT A GREAT WAY TO GET
EVERYBODY INVOLVED THE WAY WE
SHOULD GET EVERYBODY INVOLVED IN
MAKING SURE WE LIVE WITHIN OUR
MEANS NOT ONLY TODAY BUT
TOMORROW AND THROUGHOUT FUTURE
AT THE SAME TIME WE NEED TO PASS
OTHER TOOLS THAT CAN HELP US GET
CONTROL OF OUR SPENDING.
FOR EXAMPLE, THE REDUCE
UNNECESSARY SPENDING ACT.
THIS IS ABSOLUTELY A BIPARTISAN
ACT.
THIS IS AN ACT THAT I THINK WAS
ORIGINALLY SPONSORED BY SENATOR
TOM CARPER, A FORMER GOVERNOR,
DEMOCRAT FROM DELAWARE, AND
SENATOR JOHN McCAIN.
AND I'M PROUD TO BE A CO-SPONSOR
OF THE BILL.
ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THIS
LEGISLATION DOES, IT GIVES THE
PRESIDENT A LINE-ITEM VETO.
SO AGAIN, REACHING ACROSS THE
AISLE AS A REPUBLICAN REACHING
OUT AND GIVING OUR PRESIDENT A
TOOL, A LINE-ITEM VETO TO MAKE
SURE WE CUT OUT WASTE, FRAUD
AND ABUSE, THAT WE CONTROL OUR
SPENDING.
AS A GOVERNOR, THE MOST
EFFECTIVE TOOL THAT I HAD WAS
THE LINE-ITEM VETO AND WE NEED
TO MAKE SURE OUR PRESIDENT HAS
IT AS WELL.
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT A
BIENNIAL BUDGET SO THAT WE PASS
A BUDGET ON A TWO-YEAR CYCLE.
WE MANGE SURE WE GET THE BUDGET
PASSED AND THE NEXT YEAR WE COME
BACK, PAYING THE ADJUSTMENTS WE
HAVE TO MAKE BUT AT THE SAME
TIME WE HAVE TIME FOR
OVERSIGHT, MAKING SURE THE
SPENDING IS GOING IN ACCORDANCE
WITH THE DIRECTIVES OF CONGRESS
AND WHERE THERE IS WASTE, WHERE
THERE IS FRAUD, WHERE THERE IS
ABUSE, WHERE THERE IS
DUPLICATION, WE CUT IT OUT.
AGAIN, IT IS ABSOLUTELY WHAT
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT US TO
DO.
AND THE THIRD AREA I'M GOING TO
TOUCH ON FOR JUST A MINUTE AND
I'LL GO TO MY NEXT CHART, IS
ENERGY PLAN.
A COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY POLICY
THAT WILL HELP THIS COUNTRY
RESOURCES.
WE DID IT IN MY HOME STATE OF
NORTH DAKOTA.
I KNOW THAT WE CAN DO IT AT THE
IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, ENERGY
DEVELOPMENT IN THIS COUNTRY IS
AN INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE
MORE ENERGY, MORE COST
EFFECTIVELY WITH BETTER
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THAT
WILL ENABLE ALL OF OUR
INDUSTRIES, BECAUSE THEY ALL
NEED ENERGY, TO EXET IN A
BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT WHAT A
HIGH-PAYING JOBS.
BUT AGAIN, I GO BACK TO WHAT I
SAID BEFORE.
FOR OUR ENERGY COMPANIES THAT
ARE LOOKING TO INVEST HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS, THEY NEED TO KNOW THE
RULES OF THE ROAD.
IT COMES BACK TO CREATING A
COMPREHENSIVE ENERGY POLICY THAT
SETS THOSE RULES OF THE ROAD SO
THEY KNOW WHAT THEIR TAX
SITUATION IS, THEY KNOW WHAT
THE REGULATIONS AND THE
REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS ARE
INVESTMENTS, HUNDREDS OF
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO PRODUCE
MORE ENERGY TO HELP US PRODUCE
THAT ENERGY WITH GOOD
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP, THEY
HAVE TO KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO BE
ABLE TO GET A RETURN.
THEY HAVE TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN
MEET THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS
AND THAT THOSE INVESTMENTS MAY
LAST 40 AND 50 YEARS AND THEY
KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO BE ABLE TO RECOUP THOSE
INVESTMENTS.
THIS FIRST CHART SHOWS YOU AN
EXAMPLE OF ENERGY GEVMENT
DEVELOPMENT IN OUR STATE.
OUT WEST, OIL AND GAS.
NORTH DAKOTA IS NOW THE FOURTH
LARGEST OIL PRODUCING STATE IN
THE COUNTRY.
WE'VE PASSED UP STATES LIKE
OKLAHOMA AND LOUISIANA AND
PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IT.
HAVE ENERGY.
EVERY STATE HAS SOME KIND OF
IF YOU LOOK AT THIS MAP, WE
HAVE OIL AND GAS, WE HAVE
COAL, WE HAVE WIND, WE'RE IN
THE TOP 10 WIND PRODUCERS.
WE HAVE BIOFUELS, BIODIESEL,
SOLAR, ALL OF THEM.
AND DIFFERENT STATES HAVE
DIFFERENT STRENGTHS.
AND A LOT OF STATES HAVE OIL AND
GAS OR COAL OR CERTAINLY WIND OR
THEY CAN DEVELOP THE BIOFUELS.
OKAY, BUT IT COMES DOWN TO
STIMULATES THE PRIVATE
INVESTMENT SO COMPANIES WILL
COME IN AND DO JUST EXACTLY WHAT
I'M TALKING ABOUT.
AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AS WELL
AS AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THIS NEXT CHART SHOWS WHAT'S
ACTUALLY HAPPENING AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL.
THIS CHART IS THE COST OF MAJOR
NEW REGULATIONS.
WHAT IT SHOWS OVER THE LAST
THREE DECADES IS THE COST OF
REGULATION BY YEAR.
OVER THE LAST 30 YEARS.
WHEN THE COST OF REGULATION IS
HIGH, IF YOU GO BACK AND
CHECK, YOU'LL SEE OUR ECONOMY
WASN'T DOING VERY WELL.
AND WHEN THE COST OF REGULATION
WAS LOW, YOU'LL SEE THAT IT WAS
DOING MUCH BETTER.
LOOK AT THE COST OF REGULATION
TODAY.
$26.5 BILLION IN 2010, THE COST
OF MEETING THE REGULATORY
REQUIREMENTS.
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHAT'S IMPEDING JOB
GROWTH.
THAT'S WHAT'S IMPEDE -- IS
IMPEDING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND
BUSINESS INVESTMENT AND WE'VE
GOT TO ADDRESS IT.
WE'VE GOT TO ROLL BACK THE
REGULATORY BURDEN THAT OUR
COMPANIES AND OUR ENTREPRENEURS
IN THIS GREAT COUNTRY FACE.
THIS LAST CHART GIVES YOU JUST
ONE EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE NEW
REGULATIONS THAT ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY IS PUTTING OUT
THAT SOMEBODY WANTS TO DEVELOP
ENERGY HAS TO MEET.
NOW, YOU'RE AN ENERGY COMPANY.
OR YOU'RE A YOUNG PERSON WITH A
GOOD IDEA TO DEVELOP A NEW TYPE
OF ENERGY OR AN EXISTING TYPE OF
ENERGY WITH A NEW TECHNOLOGY.
CAN YOU MEET ALL THOSE
REQUIREMENTS?
CAN YOU EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND
THEM?
DO YOU HAVE A BIG ENOUGH LEGAL
TEAM AND SCIENTIFIC TEAM, DO
HAVE YOU A DEEP ENOUGH WALLET TO
TRY TO FIGURE ALL OF THAT OUT
BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR MONEY AT
RISK OR YOUR SHAREHOLDERS' MONEY
AT RISK?
THAT'S WHAT'S IMPEDING ECONOMIC
GROWTH IN OUR COUNTRY AND WE'VE
GOT TO DEAL WITH IT.
AND CONGRESS HAS TO DEAL WITH
IT.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
IT'S NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.
AND IT'S NOT ABOUT SPENDING MORE
FEDERAL DOLLARS.
WE HAVE TO CREATE THE
ENVIRONMENT THAT WILL
ENCOURAGE, THAT WILL
STIMULATE, THAT WILL EMPOWER
PRIVATE INVESTMENT AND IT IS
THAT PRIVATE INVESTMENT
THROUGHOUT THIS LAND THAT WILL
GET OUR ECONOMY GOING AND GET
PEOPLE BACK TO WORK.
AND WE CAN DO IT.
AND IT HAS TO BE A LONG-TERM
STRATEGY.
IT CAN'T BE A FEW STOPGAP
MEASURES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE
NOW FOR THE NEXT 90 DAYS OR FOR
ONE YEAR AT A TIME.
IT'S GOT TO BE ON A LONG-TERM,
SUSTAINED BASIS.
I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE
WANT TO HEAR THIS EVENING.
I THINK THEY WANT TO HEAR THAT
KIND.
COMMITMENT TO A LONG-TERM
STRATEGY, A PRO-GROWTH,
PRO-JOBS ECONOMIC STRATEGY THAT
WILL GET THIS ECONOMY GOING
NOW, TOMORROW, AND FOR THE
LONG TERM.
AND IT HAS TO BE DONE IN A
BIPARTISAN WAY TO GET IT THROUGH
THIS CONGRESS, SIGNED BY THE
PRESIDENT, IT DOES HAVE TO BE
BUT IT'S THAT KIND OF VISION
THAT WE NEED FOR OUR COUNTRY.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND I
YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM WYOMING.
THANK YOU,
MR. PRESIDENT.
AS YOU KNOW, JOB CREATION IN
THIS COUNTRY HAS COME TO A HALT.
THE LABOR DEPARTMENT REPORTED
LAST FRIDAY THAT ZERO JOBS WERE
CREATED IN AUGUST.
THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY THAT WAS
HOPED FOR FAILED TO MATERIALIZE.
UNEMPLOYMENT REMAINS AT 9.1%.
HOPE IS NOT ENOUGH.
OUR ECONOMY IS STAGNANT.
THE PRESIDENT'S LATEST PIVOT TO
JOBS IS ANCHORED ON BLAMING THE
PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WHICH IS
NOW NEARLY THREE YEARS PAST, YET
DESPITE REPEATED ASSURANCES OF
IMPROVEMENT, PRESIDENT OBAMA'S
OWN ECONOMIC POLICIES HAVE
THE PRESIDENT'S STIMULUS PLAN
FAILED TO PRODUCE THE
PROMISED.
HIS GREEN JOBS INITIATIVE GAVE
US MORE RED INK BUT NEVER CAME
CLOSE TO THE FIVE MILLION NEW
JOBS THAT HE PREDICT THAD IT
WOULD.
ALL THE WHILE, THE FEDERAL
BUREAUCRACY HE CONTROLS CHURNS
OUT EXPANSIVE AND EXPENSIVE NEW
REGULATIONS THAT AMOUNT TO AN
ASSAULT ON PRIVATE SECTOR JOB
CREATION.
THE FACTS REALLY
ARE INESCAPABLE.
SINCE PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK
OFFICE, AMERICA HAS LOST
APPROXIMATELY 2.3 MILLION JOBS.
WE ARE IN AN ECONOMIC CRISIS, A
CRISIS THAT EXTENDS TO AMERICA'S
CONFIDENCE IN THE PRESIDENT TO
DO ANYTHING THAT WILL CHANGE THE
CURRENT COURSE.
WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT IS
A PLAN, A PLAN THAT WILL YIELD
RESULTS.
THEY WANT LEADERSHIP, AND THEY
HAVE REJECTED THE PRESIDENT'S
INSISTENCE THAT THE ONLY WAY
FORWARD IS THROUGH MORE
SPENDING.
TODAY, WESTERN MEMBERS OF THE
SENATE AND HOUSE ARE CALLING ON
THE PRESIDENT TO ACCEPT A NEW
WAY, A PRO-GROWTH PLAN TO CREATE
JOBS IN THE WEST THAT WILL LEAD
TO BROADER ECONOMIC RECOVERY ALL
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
THE WESTERN CAUCUS JOBS FRONTIER
REPORT WAS PRODUCED BY MEMBERS
OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE WESTERN
CAUCUSES.
IT CONTAINS LEGISLATIVE
PROPOSALS ALREADY INTRODUCED IN
BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS, AND
THESE ARE PROPOSALS THAT CREATE
JOBS NOW.
THE PROPOSALS WE SUPPORT SPEAK
LARGELY TO THE ECONOMIC
CHALLENGES FACED BY WESTERN
STATES.
THEY ARE ALSO AIMED AT THE
RUINOUS REGULATIONS AND RELIANCE
ON FOREIGN ENERGY AND LAWSUIT
ABUSE THAT CONTINUES TO STIFLE
OUR ENTIRE ECONOMY.
THESE BILLS ARE READY TO PASS.
THEY ARE READY TO CREATE JOBS
TODAY.
ANY SERIOUS JOB CREATION
PROPOSAL HAS TO START WITH
SERIOUS STEPS TO INCREASE
AFFORDABLE AMERICAN ENERGY.
FOR DECADES, WESTERNERS HAVE
WORKED IN HIGH-PAYING ENERGY
JOBS, AND THESE JOBS HAVE GOOD
BENEFITS.
SINCE TAKING OFFICE, THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION HAS CONSISTENTLY
PUSHED EXTREME POLICIES AND
HEAVY-HANDED REGULATIONS TO MAKE
IT HARDER TO DEVELOP AMERICAN
VERY SIMPLY, FEWER ENERGY
PROJECTS MEAN FEWER AMERICAN
JOBS.
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE AND
CONGRESSIONAL WESTERN CAUCUSES
HAVE PROPOSED A WIDE RANGE OF
LEGISLATION TO INCREASE THE
NUMBER OF RED, WHITE, AND BLUE
ENERGY JOBS ALL ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
ENCOURAGING THE DEVELOPMENT OF
AN ALL OF THE ABOVE ENERGY
RESOURCES WILL CREATE THOUSANDS
OF JOBS IN THE WEST AND MAKE OUR
COUNTRY LESS DEPENDENT ON
FOREIGN ENERGY.
THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS
CONSISTENTLY SHUT DOWN OFFSHORE
ENERGY EXPLORATION.
IT'S ARBITRARILY CANCELED
EXISTING LEASES.
IT CONTINUES TO TRY AND IMPOSE
ADDITIONAL HURDLES TO ONSHORE
PRODUCTION SUCH AS REDUNDANT
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEWS,
BURDENSOME PERMITTING REVIEW
REQUIREMENTS AND DELAYS IN
PROCESSING OF APPLICATIONS.
OUR BILLS, THE ONES IN THIS
REPORT, WILL STREAMLINE THE
PERMITTING PROCESS AND BREAK
PRESIDENT OBAMA.
THIS WILL MAKE IT CHEAPER AND
EASIER, CHEAPER AND EASIER FOR
THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO CREATE
JOBS.
WESTERNERS RECOGNIZE THAT WE
CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH
FORMS OF ENERGY TO SUPPORT.
WHEN IT COMES TO ENERGY, WE NEED
IT ALL AND WE NEED IT NOW.
THAT'S WHY WE NEED A BILL THAT
WILL LET ENERGY PRODUCERS TAP
EXISTING RESOURCES OF AMERICAN
OIL AND NATURAL GAS.
OUR PLAN IS A BILL THAT WILL DO
THAT.
IT'S CALLED DOMESTIC JOBS,
DOMESTIC ENERGY AND DEFICIT
REDUCTION.
IT'S BEEN INTRODUCED BY BOTH
REPRESENTATIVE ROB BISHOP OF
UTAH AND DAVID VITTER OF
THIS BILL WOULD FORCE THE
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT TO STOP
EXPLORATION.
THAT DEPARTMENT'S STALL TACTICS
HAVE GONE SO FAR THAT EVEN
PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON HAS
CALLED THEM RIDICULOUS.
THE DOMESTIC JOBS, DOMESTIC
ENERGY AND DEFICIT REDUCTION ACT
WOULD REDUCE THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION AND FORCE THE
STALLING.
THE BARRAGE OF NEW REGULATIONS
COMING OUT OF WASHINGTON
CONTINUES TO BE A BIG, WET
BLANKET, A BIG, WET BLANKET
THROWN OVER THE JOB CREATORS IN
IN JULY OF 2011, THIS
ADMINISTRATION ISSUED 229 RULES,
AND IT FINALIZED 379 ADDITIONAL
RULES THAT ARE GOING TO COST OUR
JOB CREATORS OVER $9.5 BILLION.
THAT'S IN JULY ALONE.
OUR PLAN INCLUDES A BILL THAT I
HAVE INTRODUCED CALLED THE
THIS BILL FORCES WASHINGTON
REGULATORS TO LOOK, TO LOOK
BEFORE THEY LEAP WHEN IT COMES
TO REGULATIONS THAT COULD HURT
AMERICAN JOBS.
UNDER THIS BILL THAT I HAVE
INTRODUCED, EVERY REGULATORY
AGENCY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO
PREPARE A JOBS IMPACT STATEMENT.
THEY HAVE TO DO IT WITH EVERY
NEW RULE THAT THEY PROPOSE.
THAT STATEMENT WOULD INCLUDE A
DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF THE JOBS
THAT WOULD BE LOST OR GAINED OR
SENT OVERSEAS BY ANY GIVEN RULE.
THEY WOULD CONSIDER WHETHER NEW
RULES WOULD HAVE A BAD IMPACT ON
OUR JOB MARKET IN GENERAL.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ALSO
ATTEMPTED TO DRASTICALLY
INCREASE WILDERNESS AREAS, TO
EXPAND WASHINGTON JURISDICTION
ON PRIVATE WATERS AND TO MISUSE
THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT.
WELL, MR. PRESIDENT, WESTERN
LAWMAKERS ARE PROPOSING TO
REASSERT CONGRESSIONAL AUTHORITY
TO ENSURE A PROPER BALANCE
CONSERVATION.
OUR BILLS IN THIS REPORT WILL
INCREASE TRAINERS --
TRANSPARENCY AND STOP ANY AGENCY
FROM ISSUING REGULATIONS WITHOUT
CONSIDERING THE LOCAL ECONOMIC
IMPACT.
THROUGHOUT OUR NATION'S HISTORY,
MR. PRESIDENT, AMERICAN FARMERS
AND RANCHERS HAVE PROVIDED AN
AFFORDABLE, ABUNDANT AND SAFE
ENERGY.
WHILE IN RECENT YEARS, AMERICA'S
AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY
INDUSTRIES HAVE BEEN
INCREASINGLY THREATENED BY THE
SURGE OF REGULATIONS COMING FROM
WASHINGTON, ESPECIALLY THOSE
FROM THE ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AGENCY.
OUR PLAN IS GOING TO PUSH BACK.
WE WILL STRENGTHEN THESE
INDUSTRIES AND THEIR ABILITY TO
MEET THE WORLD'S GROWING FOOD
AND ENERGY NEEDS.
WESTERNERS ALSO RECOGNIZE THE
MINING SECTOR IS VITAL TO OUR
WE KNOW THAT THE MANUFACTURING
JOBS CANNOT BE CREATED WITHOUT
THE RAW MATERIALS NEEDED TO
PRODUCE THOSE GOODS.
WELL, SINCE THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION WON'T BREAK DOWN
BARRIERS TO AMERICAN MINERALS,
OUR NATION IS GROWING
INCREASINGLY DEPENDENT ON
FOREIGN MINERALS, COUNTRIES LIKE
CHINA AND RUSSIA.
THIS INACTION IS UNACCEPTABLE,
AND IT IS INEXCUSABLE.
OUR PLAN INCLUDES SENATOR
MURKOWSKI'S BILL, THE CRITICAL
MINERALS POLICY ACT.
THAT WILL ENSURE THAT THE
LONG-TERM VIABILITY OF AMERICAN
THERE.
HER BILL WILL REQUIRE THAT --
THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY TO
ESTABLISH A LIST OF MINERALS
CRITICAL TO THE U.S. ECONOMY,
AND THEN PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE
SET OF POLICIES TO ADDRESS EACH
ECONOMIC SECTOR THAT RELIES UPON
THOSE CRITICAL MINERALS.
IT ALSO CREATES A HIGH-LEVEL
INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP TO
OPTIMIZE THE EFFICIENCY OF
PERMITTING IN ORDER TO
FACILITATE INCREASED EXPLORATION
AND PRODUCTION OF DOMESTIC
CRITICAL MINERALS.
THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE
IDEAS, MR. PRESIDENT, INCLUDED
IN OUR JOBS FRONTIER PLAN.
AS IT SAYS, "BREAKING DOWN
WASHINGTON'S BARRIERS TO
JOBS."
WE ELIMINATE BACK-DOOR CAP AND
TAX REGULATIONS.
AND FINALLY, WE WILL TAKE ON
EXCESSIVE LAWSUITS AGAINST
FEDERAL AGENCIES THAT HAVE
INCREASED DRAMATICALLY AND
DESTROY JOBS IN THE WEST.
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THE BILLS,
MR. PRESIDENT, IN THE REPUBLICAN
JOBS PLAN HAS BEEN WRITTEN AND
INTRODUCED IN ONE OR BOTH HOUSES
OF CONGRESS.
THIS IS A PLAN THAT CAN BE
IMPLEMENTED NOW.
THIS IS A PLAN THAT WILL WORK TO
CREATE JOBS, AND THIS IS A PLAN
THAT WILL REDUCE THE COST OF
ENERGY AND RESTART THE ECONOMY.
MR. PRESIDENT, THERE IS A LOT
THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO FIX OUR
THESE ARE SOME IDEAS.
WESTERN IDEAS THAT COME FROM THE
LAWMAKERS THAT KNOW BEST HOW OUR
RURAL COMMUNITIES ARE SUFFERING
WORK.
MANY OF THESE PROPOSALS COME
THEY HAVE THE SUPPORT OF OUR
WESTERN GOVERNORS AND
LEGISLATORS.
WASHINGTON.
RECENT JOBLESS NUMBERS CONFIRM
THAT THE CURRENT APPROACH FROM
WASHINGTON HAS FAILED.
IF THE PRESIDENT IS SERIOUS
ABOUT INCORPORATING THE IDEAS OF
EVERY AMERICAN IN EVERY PART OF
THE COUNTRY, THEN HE NEEDS TO
LOOK BEYOND WASHINGTON.
I WANT TO THANK EVERY MEMBER OF
THE SENATE AND CONGRESSIONAL
WESTERN CAUCUSES FOR THEIR WORK
AND THEIR EXPERTISE ON THIS
REPORT.
I LOOK FORWARD TO TURNING THESE
IDEAS INTO POLICIES AND THAT WAY
PUTTING ALL OF AMERICA BACK TO
WORK.
THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT.
I YIELD THE FLOOR.
THE
SENATOR FROM ILLINOIS.
MR. PRESIDENT, I WANT
TO TAKE SOME TIME TODAY TO TALK
ABOUT MY VIEWS ON AFGHANISTAN