Hank Johnson

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of this one man, Rev. Dr. George W. Moore who has given so much of himself in order for others to stand; and Whereas, his work is present across our nation for all to see; the retired pastor of Saint Philip AME Church in DeKalb County, Georgia, who was instrumental in spreading the gospel and enriching the lives of many in the Atlanta area and beyond; and Whereas, this giant of a man accomplished so much during his time on earth; he was a Master Pastor, a business owner, a community advocate and a friend to all; and Whereas, he gave of himself, his time, his talent and his life to uplift those in need never expecting fame or fortune; his calling was to be a motivator and to inspire others throughout the community by spreading the gospel and leading by example; and Whereas, Rev. Dr. George W. Moore led by doing both behind the scenes and on the front lines; he was an ambassador of goodwill who will be truly missed; and Whereas, Rev. Dr. George W. Moore was a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a friend; he was our warrior, our patriarch, a man of great integrity who remained true to his divine mission until his end; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia recognizes Rev. Dr. George W. Moore as a citizen of great worth and so noted distinction; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that he is deemed worthy and deserving of this Congressional Honor by declaring Rev. Dr. George W. Moore, U.S. Citizen of Distinction in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 13th day of February, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, many years ago a virtuous woman of God accepted her calling to serve the citizens across our nation and the international community; and Whereas, Ms. Xernona Clayton began her career in service working diligently to assist in the Civil Rights Movement alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., she has served as the first Southern African American to host a daily prime time talk show, ``The Xernona Clayton Show''; she served as the Corporate Vice President for Urban Affairs at Turner Broadcasting; she is the President and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation wherein she is the Creator and Executive Producer of the Trumpet Awards honoring individuals that give of themselves to make the world better; Ms. Clayton continues to assist individuals and families across the world through education and service; and Whereas, this phenomenal Proverbs 31 woman has shared her time and talents, giving the citizens of our district a friend to help those in need, a fearless leader and a servant to all wanting to ensure that the system works for everyone; and Whereas, Ms. Xernona Clayton is a cornerstone in our community that has enhanced the lives of thousands for the betterment of our district and nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Ms. Xernona Clayton for her outstanding leadership and service to our district and to congratulate her for an exemplary life of leadership and service to all; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim March 14, 2015 as Ms. Xernona Clayton Day in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 14th day of March, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of this one woman, Dr. Marie Pullin, who gave of herself in order for others to stand; and Whereas, her legacy of dedicated service to enrich the children and others in her community through her volunteerism, creative ability and unwavering advocacy for the youth, the elderly, the poor and the arts are present in DeKalb County, Georgia for all to see; and Whereas, this remarkable, positive woman with a beautiful smile gave of herself, her heart and her talent; never asking for fame or fortune but only to uplift, expose and inspire those in need; and Whereas, she led by example from behind the scenes, as well as front and center for the state of Georgia, DeKalb County and the City of Atlanta, multiple ministries, homeowner associations, the Atlanta Edgewood-Kirkwood Neighborhood Center; and in her beloved church, Israel Baptist Church; and Whereas, this virtuous Proverbs 31 woman was a mother, a wife, a daughter, a friend, a warrior, a matriarch, and a woman of great integrity; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to bestow a Congressional recognition on Dr. Marie Pullin for her leadership, friendship and 50 years of service to all of the citizens in Georgia and throughout the Nation; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that Dr. Marie Pullin of DeKalb County, Georgia is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honor'' Dr. Marie Pullin, U.S. Citizen of Distinction in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 14th day of March, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of this one man, Samuel Barber, Jr., who has given so much to our state and nation; and Whereas, Samuel Barber has been instrumental as a pioneer in the information technology industry with his talents, his high standards and innovating mind; and Whereas, this giant of a man accomplished so much during his lifetime; he served our country honorably in the U.S. Navy for eleven years and was honored with the National Defense Service Medal; he was a successful entrepreneur with multiple businesses and he was recognized as Honorary Consul General for the Embassy of Ghana; and Whereas, he was a strong community advocate, a motivator, a mentor, and a friend to all; he was dedicated to God, his church, his family and his community; and Whereas, Samuel Barber was a husband, a father and a grandfather; he was our warrior, our patriarch, a man of great integrity who remained true to his childhood nurturing by his maternal grandparents in Alabama; and Whereas, Samuel Barber was an ambassador of goodwill who will be truly missed; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia recognizes Samuel Barber as a citizen of great worth and so noted distinction; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that he is deemed worthy and deserving of this Congressional Honor by declaring Mr. Samuel Barber, Jr. U.S. Citizen of Distinction in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 6th day of March, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of this one woman who has given of herself to her family, church, community, and nation; and Whereas, Mrs. Julia Ann Holt Wilson Snell's good works are present across our nation, as an exemplary wife, aunt, neighbor, community worker, business owner and friend; and Whereas, this giant of a woman, was reared in Buena Vista, Alabama, born July 1, 1907, to the late Mr. Daniel and Mrs. Irene Holt; and Whereas, Mrs. Julia Ann Holt Wilson Snell was a virtuous woman, a woman of great integrity who remained true to the uplifting of her community and family which in turn uplifted others; and Whereas, she was an exemplary matriarch, serving as a compass and wise counselor while bringing great joy to our district, her family and friends; and Whereas, Mrs. Julia Aim Holt Wilson Snell loved her family, encouraged all of those around her to make a difference in her 107 years and blessed the lives of many in the states of Alabama, California, the Fourth Congressional District of Georgia and in her beloved church, Beulah Missionary Baptist Church where she was a faithful member; and Whereas, this remarkable woman gave of herself, never asking for fame or fortune as she became a quiet storm, a spark that starts a flame; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to bestow a Congressional Recognition on Mrs. Julia Ann Holt Wilson Snell for her leadership, friendship and service to all of the citizens across the United States; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr., do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that Mrs. Julia Ann Holt Wilson Snell, of DeKalb County, Georgia is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Recognition,'' Mrs. Julia Ann Holt Wilson Snell, U.S. Citizen of Distinction. Proclaimed, this 31st day of January, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, our lives have been touched by the life of this one man . . . who has given of himself in order for others to stand; and Whereas, U.S. Air Force retired TSG. Hugh R. Williams III served our nation with honor and valor during his tours in Vietnam, Korea, Guam and Germany; and Whereas, Mr. Williams never asked for fame or fortune, nor found a job too small or too big; but gave of himself, his time, his talent and his life to uplift those in need by demonstrating unwavering commitment to protecting and serving the citizens of the United States of America; and Whereas, he was a husband, a father, a son and a friend; he was also our warrior, a man of great integrity who remained true to the uplifting and service to our nation; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia recognizes Mr. Hugh R. Williams as a citizen of great worth and so noted distinction; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby attest to the 114th Congress that Mr. Hugh R. Williams is deemed worthy and deserving of this ``Congressional Honor'' by declaring Mr. Hugh R. Williams III, U.S. Citizen of Distinction in the 4th Congressional District of Georgia. Proclaimed, this 2nd day of February, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I submit the following Proclamation: Whereas, Minister Edward L. Keyton is celebrating thirty-four (34) years in ministry this year and has provided stellar leadership to his church on an international level; and Whereas, Minister Edward L. Keyton, under the guidance of God has pioneered and sustained the Church of Christ at Bouldercrest as Senior Evangelist, he has enhanced the church as an instrument in our community that uplifts the spiritual, physical and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this remarkable and tenacious man of God has given hope to the hopeless, fed the hungry and is a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, Minister Edward L. Keyton is a spiritual warrior, a man of compassion, a fearless leader and a servant to all, but most of all a visionary who has shared not only with his church, but with our district and the world his passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Fourth District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Minister Edward L. Keyton as he celebrates thirty-four years in ministry and to salute him as he retires from ministerial leadership; A true Man of Excellence; now therefore, I, Henry C. ``Hank'' Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim April 17, 2015 as Minister Edward L. Keyton Day in the 4th Congressional District. Proclaimed, this 17th day of March, 2015.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to remove the name of the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Perlmutter) from H.R. 1102, the Police Accountability Act.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to formally recognize the contribution of broadcasters across the country and from my home state of Georgia. Every community is impacted by broadcasters, the individuals who have dedicated their lives to disseminating important information by radio and television. As north Georgia prepares for snow, ice and sleet today and tonight--broadcasters are my constituents' go-to source for the latest on road conditions, power outages and school closings. We turn to broadcasters first--whether we are in our cars listening to the radio, or watching the news on television at home. There are over 500 local radio and television stations in Georgia. In 2014 alone, local radio and television stations in Georgia produced over 50,000 hours of original over-the-air news programming, representing an increase from 2013. Broadcasters have created over 85,000 jobs in Georgia and the radio and television industry had an economic impact on Georgia of over $39 billion in 2012.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, four years ago, thousands of Bahrainis protested for basic freedoms like the freedom of assembly and expression. Today, I recognize the people of Bahrain in their ongoing struggle for fundamental human rights. In many instances over the last four years, protesters have been met with violence, detention, and an unfair judicial system. Many protesters have alleged they were tortured while in detention. The government of Bahrain is an important ally and has taken positive steps in response to protests, but much more must be done. Today I remind my colleagues of Dr. King's famous words, ``injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.'' Today, due to rising instability, areas of Bahrain are considered ``off limits'' to U.S. military and their families stationed there. If this trend continues, the security of the region and of the United States could be at risk. The United States must work with the government and the protesters, firmly and respectfully, to ensure stability in the region, for all people of Bahrain.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, today I rise in opposition to H.R. 527, the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act. I oppose this legislation, which would paralyze agency rulemaking through unworkable, complex requirements while aggrandizing the powers of the Small Business Administration's Office of Advocacy with broad authority to act as the gatekeeper of our Nation's regulatory system. H.R. 527 would allow for large, regulated industries to manipulate the regulatory system in their favor while delaying or blocking critical safeguards to safeguard our Nation's food supply, environment, and workforce. That is why the American Sustainable Business Council, a coalition of partner organizations representing over 200,000 businesses and more than 325,000 business professionals, opposes this legislation. This coalition notes that H.R. 527 would erode ``the operational capacity of regulatory agencies to do their jobs,'' allowing for ``the largest firms to further dominate the marketplace.'' In other words, H.R. 527 is a thinly-veiled handout to large corporations. Mr. Chairman, Americans support smart regulation across party lines but not deregulation. Over 70 percent of Americans support strong rules to ensure an open Internet. By a 2-1 margin, Americans across the political spectrum support rules to address climate change by limiting emissions from coal-fired plants. Sixty percent of Americans support the strict regulation of financial institutions, tougher enforcement, and remain deeply concerned about dangerous financial practices. These are the same rules in the crosshairs of the radical deregulatory agenda of my Republican colleagues. Dangerous policies like H.R. 527 echo the same laissez-faire rhetoric of deregulation that led to the Great Depression and the Great Recession. H.R. 527 is more of the same. Another handout for the largest corporate interests, that is what this is. It is another bill designed to deregulate industries instead of to promote actual governance in order to deceive Americans through fuzzy math and untried and unfounded rhetoric. Mr. Chairman, we need real solutions to help real people. We need legislation that creates middle class security and opportunity, and we need sensible regulations that protect American families from financial ruin, that encourage competition, and that bring predatory financial practices to an end. We need legislation that brings the United States in conformity with the rest of the world's employment policies by guaranteeing paid sick leave and parental leave--I should say the world's industrialized economies' employment practices. According to the Rutgers Center for Women and Work, paid family leave increases wages for women with children while saving the Federal Government funds that would otherwise be allocated to assistance programs. We need legislation that increases our global competitiveness by creating an affordable higher education. Strong evidence from a Department of Education report roundly demonstrates that investing in our education system expands job opportunities, boosts America's competitiveness, and supports the kind of income mobility that is fundamental to a growing economy. In other words, what we need is actual governance that helps middle class families, that grows the economy, and that promotes international competitiveness. What we don't need is yet another deregulatory bill that would increase complexity in our regulatory system while placing a finger on the scales in favor of corporations and against the public interest. I ask that my colleagues oppose H.R. 527.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I rise in support of my amendment, which would exempt from H.R. 527 all rules that the Office of Management and Budget determines would result in net job creation. Under President Obama, our country has rebounded from the Great Recession, creating 11 million new jobs over 5 years, and unemployment is falling at the fastest rate in three decades. Consumer and business spending have catalyzed the fastest gross domestic product growth since 2003. My amendment would ensure that this meteoric growth and progress continues. Contrary to my Republican colleagues' assertion that regulations kill jobs, a wealth of unimpeachable, bipartisan evidence has repeatedly and effectively debunked this claim. Studies by both the San Francisco and New York Federal Reserve found that there is zero correlation between job growth and regulations and that there is no evidence showing that increased regulations and taxes have any effect on the unemployment rate. And the evidence that regulations harm the economy? The only evidence relied on for the absurd figures repeated by the proponents of this bill derive from a study roundly disproven by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which found that the study's cost figures were cherry-picked, inaccurate, based on evidence from decades ago, and without contemporary value. I have also heard my Republican colleagues repeatedly claim that regulations have a $15,000 regulatory burden on every American family. Consequently, The Washington Post awarded this claim, ``Two Pinocchios,'' on January 14, arguing that this absurd figure has ``serious methodological problems--even the report admits it is `not scientific' and `back of the envelope'--and we fear these caveats are being forgotten as it is repeated in Capitol Hill news conferences and then in news reports,'' and sometimes even on this floor. Mr. Chair, the economy and job growth are growing at its fastest pace in years on the back of sound economic policy and sensible regulations. Despite this growth, it is clear that many continue to struggle to live comfortably on their income, pay their bills on time, or set aside for retirement. Americans work harder than ever, thanks to corporations maximizing profits through a ``streamlined workforce.'' Meanwhile, the world's top 1 percent will soon control half of the world's wealth as the compensation of corporate executives balloons ever-higher. The same corporations that are continuing to show record profit margins are also pushing deregulation and fewer taxes because they have a ``myopic obsession with short-term profits at the expense of long- term value creation,'' according to Henry Blodget, the CEO of Business Insider. It is also clear that, despite its incredible workplace productivity, wages have stagnated. We do need to fix that, but unfortunately, deregulation does not do so. Last Congress, Republicans blocked Democratic legislation that would increase the Federal minimum wage by less than $3, lifting countless full-time workers out of poverty, while saving the Federal Government trillions in annual safety net costs. Fortunately, for Americans, minimum wage increases have gone into effect in 20 States this month alone, bringing the minimum wage in 29 States above the Federal minimum wage, but yet this Congress refuses to take up legislation to increase the Federal minimum wage. Perhaps my Republican colleagues will heed the calls of workers across the country for a living wage. This bill does not do that. I ask that my colleagues support my amendment, which does protect jobs. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 285, the SAVE Act. Human trafficking is never okay. It is a vile crime that no one should be subjected to, but the SAVE Act goes too far. This bill would impose a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 to 15 years for posting or facilitating the posting of advertisements online. We should be eliminating mandatory minimum sentences, not creating new ones. This bill is not specific enough. It could potentially apply to communications providers and facilitators who are not actually engaged in sex trafficking. For example, an employee at an online advertising network that has no role in the types of ads they receive could face 10 to 15 years in prison for simply going in to work every day and helping advance the business. Web hosts and ad networks oftentimes do not have advance warning of the ads that are being sent to them. During our Judiciary Committee markup, I offered an amendment that would have removed mandatory minimums from the legislation, giving the judge hearing the case, of course, the discretion to impose a wise and just punishment. I believe in the overall goal of the legislation, but I do not agree with its execution. Judges, working with the sentencing guidelines, should determine sentences, not legislators. Mandatory minimums fail to reduce crime, they waste taxpayers' money, and often violate common sense. I urge my colleagues to vote against this legislation.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, the Republican border bill, originally scheduled for this week, contains a provision buried on page 78 that would expand the Pentagon's 1033 program. This program transfers billions of dollars of Defense Department equipment to law enforcement agencies without any congressional oversight or community input. The bill adds a border securities activities priority to the program that will quietly funnel military-grade weapons to law enforcement for this new, fully defined priority. It appears some of my colleagues did not learn the tragic lessons of Ferguson, Missouri, last summer as the Nation saw the devastating result of a militarized police force. If this bill is brought back up, I urge my colleagues to support my amendment in order to curb the expansion of this program.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I introduced the Grand Jury Reform Act, which requires the appointment of a special prosecutor to conduct an investigation and present the results to a judge in an open courtroom proceeding whenever a police officer kills an individual while on duty. After police officers killed two unarmed black men in 2014 and secret grand juries failed to indict these officers, I am honoring Dr. King's legacy by offering legislation that restores trust in our justice system while ensuring a fair process for all. Mr. Speaker, we are the beneficiaries of Dr. King's legacy, and we must face our challenges with the same resolve as he did. I urge my fellow colleagues to support this commonsense bill.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I would like to submit the following articles: [From the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, July 21, 2011] Economic Uncertainty and Poor Sales Help Explain Small Firms' Disproportionate Job Losses During Downturn Note To Editors New York.--The Federal Reserve Bank of New York today released Why Small Businesses Were Hit Harder by the Recent Recession, the latest article in the Current Issues in Economics and Finance series from the Research and Statistics Group. Uncertainty about economic conditions and poor sales were the main reasons why small firms experienced steeper job declines than large firms during the 2007-09 downturn, according to analysis in the article. Furthermore, although tightened access to credit and adverse financial conditions also constrained small firms, a more pressing factor was the decline in new investment and associated financing brought on by low consumer demand for the firms products and services. Between December 2007 and December 2009, jobs declined 10.4 percent in small firms (those with fewer than fifty employees). compared with 7.5 percent in large ones. In this article, Aysegul Sahin, Sagiri Kitao, Anna Cororaton and Sergiu Laiu seek to account for the downturn's disproportionate effect on small firms. The authors review data on employment patterns and industry composition of firms by size. They also explore possible links between credit availability and firm performance by analyzing national surveys and established data series on economic activity and business conditions. The authors determine that industry composition of job losses fails to explain the deeper job declines among small firms, as these businesses were hit harder than large ones regardless of industry. And while some small firms indeed experienced limited credit availability, this factor was a secondary driver of the difficulties they encountered. Rather, the authors concluded that demand factors--notably, economic uncertainty and poor sales owing to reduced consumer demand--were the most important reasons for the weak performance and sluggish recovery of small firms. Aysegul Sabin is an assistant vice president, Sagiri Kitao a senior economist, and Anna Cororaton an assistant economist in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's Research and Statistics Group; Sergiu Laiu is an associate business support analyst in the Markets Group. Why Small Businesses Were Hit Harder by the Recent Recession

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to this amendment, which would have devastating impacts and consequences for minority and low-income populations. Under Executive Order 12898, agencies already must account for the impact of rulemaking on both of these communities. The amendment, which makes no accommodation for minority populations, would override existing protections while the underlying bill would override every law protecting the public interest in the rulemaking process. In short, these sweeping policy changes would be a nightmare for vulnerable populations and endangered communities. That is why the AFL- CIO, along with 70 other public interest groups, opposes this amendment and the underlying bills. I listened to the list of supporters rattled off by the other side for this bill. They were all trade groups that would benefit financially from this bill. No academics or others of objective opinions were mentioned, and I think the public should note that. My colleague from Illinois, Representative Bobby Rush, offered an amendment to this bill specifically to protect these communities by promoting environmental justice. If the majority was serious about protecting these communities, they would have accepted the Rush amendment instead of attempting to mislead the public through a gotcha amendment such as this. If the majority was serious about protecting the American people, we wouldn't be considering this dangerous, misguided, and ideologically driven piece of legislation. I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Indeed, the very authors of this study have since repudiated its use in policy debates, and any of their claims should be discredited as ideologically driven. Under President Obama, the economy has roared back to life. Unemployment is falling at the fastest rate in three decades. Consumer and business spending have catalyzed the most growth in over a decade. Our Nation's gross domestic product grew at 5 percent between July and September last year--the fastest since 2003--and that will continue to grow throughout this year. Granted, the bottom 99 percent of Americans have not felt the economic uptick that the top 1 percent have enjoyed, but that fact is not due to the cost of regulation but, rather, stagnant wage growth. Mr. Chairman, it is clear that our economy is growing at its fastest rate. I would ask that my amendment, which has been ruled to be in order, will rule the day. I ask for your support.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to H.R. 185, the Regulatory Accountability Act of 2015, and on behalf of my amendment to protect jobs. H.R. 185 is a sweeping revision of the Administrative Procedure Act that convolutes the agency rulemaking process through numerous analytical requirements. These requirements, which are largely opposed by the Nation's leading administrative law experts, would cause years of delays in rulemaking or deregulate entire industries through rulemaking avoidance by agencies. As a result of this deregulation, H.R. 185 would seriously undermine the critical role of agencies in protecting public health and safety, undermining protections across every regulated industry, from consumers' health and product safety, environmental protections, workplace safety, to consumer financial protections. The only basis for this bill is the unsupported claims that regulations erode employment and economic growth. Contrary to my Republican colleagues' assertion that regulations kill jobs, a wealth of unimpeachable, bipartisan evidence has repeatedly and effectively debunked this claim. The Office of Management and Budget estimated over the last decade that major regulations benefited the economy between $217 billion and $863 billion a year, at a mere cost of $57 billion to $84 billion. Regulations don't cause economic loss, ladies and gentlemen. Instead, they have produced billions of dollars in economic gains. In fact, a 2013 study from the San Francisco Federal Reserve found that since the recession, there is zero correlation between job growth and regulations. Moreover, the San Francisco Federal Reserve also found that there is no evidence showing that increased regulations and taxes have any effect on the unemployment rate. If anything, weak growth was due to weak consumer demand, not cost of regulations. Earlier studies by the New York Federal Reserve made similar findings. So what is the evidence that regulations harm the economy? The only evidence--literally, the one study supporting the faulty premise that regulations harm the economy--relied on for the absurd figures repeated by the proponents of this bill derives from a study roundly unproven by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service, which found that the study's cost figures were cherry-picked, inaccurate, and based on evidence from decades ago without contemporary value.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chair, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I rise in support of my amendment. It is clear the economy is growing at its fastest pace in years, while unemployment is dropping rapidly. According to the most recent reports from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers added 252,000 jobs in December, exceeding expectations and driving the unemployment rate down to 5.6 percent, the lowest level since the recession. There have been actually 54, 55 straight months of positive jobs growth over the last 6 years, Mr. Chairman. And this is an important consideration when you consider the faulty premise being offered in support of the underlying legislation here, that regulations hurt business and hurt job growth. They do not. My amendment would ensure that this rapid growth and progress continues by exempting from H.R. 185 all rules that the Office of Management and Budget determines would result in net job creation. Several of my Republican colleagues have complained in today's debate about a regulatory system that costs American families $15,000 in annual costs. These figures rely on debunked sources from studies that do not assume current economic conditions or even account for the benefits of regulations. We even had a display of 1 week's worth of so-called regulations by one of my colleagues on the other side a short while ago purporting to show the sheer volume of regulations that were issued in 1 week when, in fact, a lot of those papers had to do with 34 final rules published during that period, 31 proposed rules--many of which were minor in nature--and 277 notices of administrative minutia such as public meetings, when and where public meetings were to be held, and also the availability of letters regarding sunscreen products. So it really tries to mislead by holding up a stack and contending that one business in one particular area has to comply with all of these so-called regulations that are purported to be in a stack of papers. That is just not true. It is misleading to the public. In many cases, rules issued in 2015 have been largely administrative and minor. For instance, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued rules concerning airworthiness directives while the Coast Guard has issued its routine rules for bridge opening schedules. Now, if we didn't have rules for when bridges should be opening and how to open and how to warn people, do you think we could claim ourselves to be living in such a civilized society as the one we live in? We have got to have rules. I will take note of the fact that when I went to kindergarten, we had a set of rules up on the board. Everywhere you go, you are going to have a set of rules: the rules of the Federal Government--which are vast and broad--foreign policy, domestic policy, space, cyberspace. I mean, this country that we live in is not a great country because it chose simplicity as its model. We have a lot of rules that we have to live by, and those are the things that help make America a great country. Guess what, ladies and gentlemen, it is you and your family members and friends who populate this Federal Government. You are the ones who are the rulemakers. They want to try to turn you into people who are trying to do something to hurt others when the only thing you are trying to do is do your job that will help others be able to live lives and create a better America for ourselves and, most importantly, our children. Don't get it twisted. Don't think that regulations are hurting you. Regulations are causing what benefits you are taking advantage of now. These are the very rules that undergird our Nation's regulatory system and successful day-to-day operations.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on January 7, 2015 I inadvertently voted yes on Roll Call number 9, on H.R. 37--the so- called ``Promoting Job Creation and Reducing Small Business Burdens Act''. I intended to vote no on this bill and I wish to make my position clear for the record. I oppose this bill because it undermines the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Act. This important law was passed in response to the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression and it was designed to ensure that Wall Street will never again be able to destroy our economy. The crisis was made worse by the widespread trading of complex financial derivatives, many of which were not understood by those engaged in their trade, and many of which were not used by ``end users'' engaged in traditional hedging of risk. Dodd-Frank protects our economic security by requiring over-the-counter derivatives to be regulated by both the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This bill would undermine those protections by forbidding regulators from imposing requirements that margin or collateral be provided for derivatives transactions involving commercial companies. The legislation is also harmful in that it entirely eliminates statutory authority for the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to regulate margin and collateral at non-bank derivatives dealers serving commercial end users. Even though regulators have not proposed to require any margin of commercial end users at this time, it is inappropriate to completely eliminate the ability of central derivatives market regulators to take action in this important area. This is a clear attempt by Republicans to delay and weaken implementation of core parts of the Dodd-Frank Act at the expense of main street, and our future economic security. Unfortunately, this misguided bill was brought to the floor with complete disregard for proper legislative process. Legislation such as this should be considered by committees and members should have the opportunity to offer amendments. This did not occur in this instance and instead was brought directly to the floor on a suspension of the normal House rules that apply. Although I inadvertently voted ``yes'' on this bill, I am encouraged that H.R. 37 did not pass the house and I stand in solidarity with my colleagues who voted no.

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia

Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, Black men and boys killed by police. I can't breathe. Impunity for the killers. No justice, no peace. I can't breathe. Militarized police met peaceful protesters on their knees. I can't breathe. Weapons of war, a show of force on our streets. I can't breathe. Disenfranchised youth driven to violence as speech. I can't breathe. Cynical media think this makes great TV. I can't breathe. This cowardly Congress afraid of losing our seats. I can't breathe. Half-hearted reform when there is more that we need. I can't breathe. Just thinking about the despair that it breeds. I can't breathe. Black lives matter. Hear my pleas. I can't breathe.