Barry Loudermilk

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding time. Clearly, Mr. Speaker, the overregulation of Dodd-Frank, coupled with unfettered agencies like the CFPB, have hurt Americans from Wall Street to Main Street. But today, Mr. Speaker, I am not here to talk about Wall Street or Main Street but a little two-lane street in Cassville, Georgia, named ``Mac Johnson.'' Cassville is a rural community that has a small post office, a little country store, and a lot of hardworking people who call it their home. Many of the people who live in Cassville work at one of the many factories in the local area. While these hardworking Americans are not the upper middle class, they are the backbone of America's economy. And like 22 million other Americans, many of them live in a manufactured home. Along Mac Johnson, you will find a number of manufactured homes--some on individual lots, some on farmland, and some in quaint, little mobile home parks. As it is across the Nation, almost half of those living in these homes have incomes of less than $30,000 a year, and many are retired or disabled. Historically, manufactured homes have allowed families, who couldn't afford the cost of a traditionally constructed house, the ability to achieve the American Dream. However, the CFPB has expanded enforcement of regulations that were designed for mortgage lending on traditional homes to include manufactured home retailers. This has made it much more difficult for consumers to obtain financing for these homes. Mr. Speaker, this bill reins in Federal regulations just enough to give needed relief to the manufactured housing industry and allow families access to these affordable homes. I fully support this bipartisan bill, which gained the support of two-thirds of the Financial Services Committee industry, and I commend my colleague from the great State of Kentucky for bringing this bill forward.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I also want to thank Chairman Hensarling and Chairman Duffy for their tireless work on this bill. They have labored endless hours to bring this bill to the floor, and we are very appreciative of that. Mr. Speaker, the fact that we are here today shows that our legislative process is working and that we are doing the challenging work the American people sent us here to do, work that isn't always easy. Quite often, it is hard, but it is the right thing to do. After months of hard work, the Financial Services Committee passed a package of bills in June to reform and reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program. Mr. Speaker, many of these bills in that package passed with unanimous support. You only have unanimous support with strong bipartisan support. Now, after lengthy negotiations, we are taking up this compromise bill that will significantly improve the NFIP and protect America's taxpayers. The 21st Century Flood Reform Act will make major strides to grow the private flood insurance market and start to put the NFIP on a fiscally sustainable path. This bill will also implement flood mapping improvements and increase transparency and disclosure so policyholders will know the true risk of floods at their property. The bill also includes an amendment that I introduced with my good colleague and dear friend from Georgia, Representative David Scott. The NFIP is far too complicated for policyholders, insurers, and mortgage lenders, so this amendment, which passed with unanimous support, calls for a GAO study on how the program may be simplified and streamlined. The NFIP authorization expires on December 8, so I would urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this worthy program.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, October 19, the Honorable Sam Olens will be invested as the fourth President of Kennesaw State University in my home state of Georgia. I congratulate my friend Sam, the University, and the Kennesaw State community on this historic day. KSU, as it is known, has been at the forefront of educational opportunities for students across Georgia and has grown to be the third largest institution of higher learning in the state. With an enrollment of nearly 40,000 students, it represents one of the most geographically and culturally diverse institutions in the region and I am proud to have this school in my district, and to recognize this historic moment. Before joining Kennesaw State, Sam served as Georgia's 53rd Attorney General, Vice President of the National Association of Attorneys General, and Chairman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners. He received his juris doctorate from Emory University School of Law, and holds a Bachelors and Masters degree from American University in International Politics. As Dr. Olens and the University look to the future, I wish them continued success in their efforts on behalf of KSU students and faculty, the Kennesaw community, and the state of Georgia.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chair, on rollcall No. 418, I mistakenly voted ``yes'' when I intended to vote ``no.'' Amendment No. 23 Offered by Mr. King of Iowa

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, Ronald Reagan had a unique gift of communicating in a way that reflected the ideas and the thoughts of the American people. He also understood that out-of-control government bureaucracy had a well-deserved reputation of working in its own best interest, not in the best interest of the American people. President Reagan best defined this mistrust of government when he stated: ``The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'' The skepticism Americans have of their too-big-to-be-useful government has only increased since Reagan spoke those words. And it is rules and regulations, such as the one we are discussing here today, that fosters the distrust Americans have of their government. The CFPB's decision to ban arbitration with preference to class action lawsuits will cause harm to both consumers and businesses. Arbitration has proven to be an effective tool that benefits both parties in a dispute, and has shown to be more favorable to consumers than traditional litigation in the courts. The average compensation, as you have heard, to consumers when using arbitration is $5,400. In contrast, the average settlement for consumers in a class action lawsuit is $32. Not only is arbitration more financially beneficial to consumers, it is less costly and less time-consuming than fighting through the courts. Disputes which use arbitration are usually settled in 2 to 7 months; however, lawsuits can take an average of 2 years to settle. Even the CFPB has recognized that arbitration is more efficient, less costly, and more beneficial to consumers; so it boggles the mind trying to figure out why they are pursuing a course that would harm Americans. It is the responsibility of Congress to rein in government when it is outside the constitutional boundaries of its office or pursues a course of action that is harmful to the citizens. In this case, the CFPB is in violation of both of these principles. I support this legislation that would roll back the CFPB's ban on arbitration. Again, I thank the chairman for the time, and I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Rothfus) for sponsoring this bill.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I give a special thanks to my good friend from Illinois for his thoughtfulness in this bill. Mr. Speaker, there are times in our lifetime that leave an impact on our lives and we never forget that place or time when we experienced the event or we heard of the event. For my father, it was the attack on Pearl Harbor. He always remembered that moment and the place and the feelings he had when he heard of the attack, which motivated him to join the United States Army. For my children, it was the attacks on America on September 11, 2001. For me, Mr. Speaker, it is Flag Day, June 14, 2017, at a baseball practice. Not only will I remember that event, but I specifically remember where I was because I was there. Not only was I there, I was within proximity of 10 to 15 feet from the officers who acted so heroically. And still, Mr. Speaker, those images of that day are vivid in my mind. There isn't a day that goes by--and I am sure it is the same thing for the other players--that I don't relive a portion of that moment. But although those images are vivid, time heals all wounds, and at some point the details will be obscured by the fog of war and other events in our lives. But I will never forget the heroic actions of those two officers that day. Even at the moment when Agent Griner took a bullet--which I believe was destined for me, or definitely in my direction--which took her down and out of the fight, Agent Bailey came to check on his partner, and immediately put himself even more in the line of fire to draw the fire away from us. I can't express how heroic these officers acted. Some may say, well, that is their duty, but what I experienced, Mr. Speaker, was above and beyond any call of duty, setting aside their own safety, their own persons, and putting themselves in a situation where death may have been imminent. They were in a gunfight with someone with a more powerful, more accurate rifle, and all they had was a handgun. But they never let that dissuade them from protecting the lives of those of us. I would not be here today if it wasn't for those two agents. This is the least that we could do, as has been expressed by many other speakers. The cost upon the families is tremendous when someone is injured in the line of duty. I believe that this is all fitting, and it is an expression of our appreciation for what they do for us day in and day out. I hope and I pray that we never have an incident like that again, but as history tells us, something like this will happen again. And I just hope that we have agents like Agents Griner and Bailey on duty when that happens again. There were many miracles on the field that day, and one of those miracles was having the two right agents there doing their job, just like all of our Capitol Police do every day. I support this bill. I support the intent behind it, and I hope that we move forward with this in an expeditious manner and that we have a unanimous vote on this.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, today we know that a major factor leading up to the worst economic crisis in our lifetime was the heavyhanded and meddlesome politics of the Federal Government. Unfortunately, the previous administration responded to that crisis not by limiting the intrusion of the Federal bureaucracy, but by increasing it. They implemented Dodd-Frank under the guise of protecting the consumer, but, in reality, this bill empowered government, created new bureaucracies, made the big banks bigger, and virtually ended the creation of new community banks. In the wake of the financial crisis, Georgia lost more banks than any other State in the Nation. Unemployment skyrocketed, and hundreds of businesses went under. But instead of creating opportunities for Georgians to pick themselves up and start again, Dodd-Frank continued to suppress our economic recovery, and today, nearly a decade after the end of the recession, there are still 47 counties in Georgia without a local community bank, and 3 counties without a single bank branch at all. The Financial CHOICE Act will reverse these burdensome regulations and, once again, sow the seeds of prosperity on Main Street, not just Wall Street. The bill will end bailouts of big banks by taxpayers and unleash our economic potential by opening the economy to everyone. I urge my colleagues to support the Financial CHOICE Act.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Michigan for yielding the time. Mr. Speaker, over the last 8 years, our Nation has experienced sluggish economic growth. Americans have suffered through stagnant paychecks and a lack of new opportunities. Last year, the economy grew at a meager 1.6 percent, which is half of the historic average. However, there has been one job filled that has grown at a faster rate than any other; and that job is those who specialize in regulatory compliance. This is a testament to the crushing onslaught of new regulations under the previous administration, where compliance with regulation and red tape was emphasized more than growing businesses and creating jobs. We in Congress must do our part to foster economic growth and relieve our job creators of the excessive burden of complying with unnecessary regulation. The bill before us today will do exactly that. Currently, businesses that offer more than $5 million in stock to their own employees are required by law to comply with costly financial disclosures. This number was set nearly 20 years ago. It is time to update the law and raise this threshold to encourage small-business startups and give them the resources they need to expand and create jobs. The Encouraging Employee Ownership Act would raise this threshold to $10 million and give private businesses more flexibility to reward their employees with ownership of a company. This bill passed the Financial Services Committee last month with strong bipartisan support. This is just one of the many steps that we must take to foster innovation and encourage capital formation, to provide every American with opportunities that they deserve. We must build an economy that is open and accessible to every single American, not one that is closed off to those who can't afford to comply with the high cost of bureaucratic red tape and endless government paperwork. As a former small-business owner for 20 years, I know the employees benefit tremendously from any opportunity to participate in a company's success. I support this bill because I know from personal experience this model works and helps startup companies to retain their best employees over the long term. Americans are not satisfied with the stagnant economy that has become the new norm in our Nation. It is unacceptable for government to stand in the way of prosperity and make it harder for Americans to succeed. Small businesses employ half of U.S. workers, and we must promote, not hinder, small business growth. This bill, Mr. Speaker, empowers Main Street, not Wall Street. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, where we recognize the impact this disease has on the quality of life for women throughout our country. The lack of awareness about endometriosis creates an environment that delays treatment and grows the cost of care. This condition, in which the tissue that forms the lining of the uterus is found in areas outside the endometrium, causes severe pain in the body. Endometriosis occurs in about one in ten women of reproductive age, and is most often diagnosed in women in their 30s or 40s. This disease can be treated with medication, surgery, or sometimes both. Roughly five million women in the United States suffer with endometriosis, costing an estimated $119 billion annually. It can take more than nine years, from the onset of symptoms and visits to specialists, for women to receive a diagnosis of endometriosis; and women with endometriosis are 1.35 times more likely to need surgery or stenting to open blocked arteries. The general lack of awareness about this disease can contribute to the unnecessary suffering of patients and the rising public costs of this disorder. We must help to bring awareness of endometriosis in order to foster the health and well-being of women across America.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, whatever possessed someone to think that a faceless, nameless bureaucrat in an ivory tower in Washington, D.C., who has never been to my district, who has never met with the people, think they know more about what is good for the family and the children of my people than they do? That was a question that was asked of me by a constituent this weekend. What makes you think you know better what is best for my family and my children than I do? He was referring to the Affordable Care Act. He went on to tell me that he used to have an insurance policy that cost $300 a month that he could use. Today, he is paying $1,600 a month for something he cannot use and he doesn't want, but by the force of law, he is forced to have. He went on to say: Will you please, please do something now to fix this problem? Another person said: Are you going to be able to get to a reform to fix America's health care that you like? My answer was no. We are not going to get to something I like, but that is not the issue here. Why? Because America is not ready for what I want. That is true Federalism, that this place has nothing to do with health care. We can't get there right now because we don't have the votes, but we can get to something we need. I call upon my brothers and sisters in the House: Let's fix America's healthcare system. We have the opportunity to do it now.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 558, a bill that will add valuable historic property to the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, located right in the heart of Georgia's 11th Congressional District. Our Nation has long recognized the importance of restoring historic sites, especially those battlefields where Americans fought and died for freedom. Places such as Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, where significant battles of America's Civil War took place, allow us to look back in time to get a glimpse of the events that shaped our Nation. It is extremely important that we understand our history; otherwise, we will be destined to repeat the mistakes of our past. This bill, which passed the House unanimously last Congress, welcomes our next generation to engage in the eye-opening stories of our past. A recent study of American history education revealed that only 23 percent of college seniors could identify James Madison as the father of our Constitution; however, 98 percent of college graduates knew that Snoop Dogg was a rapper. Mr. Speaker, it is now more important than ever to ensure that the generations following us have access to these historic sites and the educational opportunities they provide or we risk losing touch with our history. My bill simply allows Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to acquire two pieces of property, through donation, that will add to the historic and educational value of this historic battlefield. One of the properties this bill will preserve is a home that was built in 1853 by Mr. Josiah Wallis. Mr. Wallis built this home for his family, but it was eventually used as a hospital by the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In 1864, the Wallis House fell into the hands of General William Sherman of the Union Army during his campaign to take Atlanta. The house served as Sherman's headquarters during the Battle of Kolb's Farm, which was a resounding victory for the Union Army, but the victory was not without cost. When the smoke cleared, over 350 Union soldiers and over 1,000 Confederate soldiers lay dead. Five days later, Union General Oliver Howard used the Wallis House as his headquarters and communications center during the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, one of the bloodiest 1-day battles of the entire war. This was also the last major battle before Atlanta fell to Union forces. While the assault by General Sherman was a tactical failure costing the lives of over 3,000 of his men, the battle also inflicted heavy losses on the Confederates. Having lost another 1,000 men, the Confederate Army could not stop General Sherman on his march to Atlanta. Adjacent to the Wallis House is 8 acres of land known as Harriston Hill. This property offers a sweeping view of the valley leading to the Confederate line on top of Kennesaw Mountain and was used by the Union as signaling positions during the battle. This location is essential for park visitors to understand the strategic positions taken by the Union and Confederate flag Armies during the battle. In addition to being critical sites in Civil War history, the Wallis House and Harriston Hill are two of the few original locations remaining from the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain associated with the Union Army. Most of the park's current attractions correspond with Confederate history, and these additions will prove to be major historical acquisitions that will enhance the value of the park and provide insight into the Union's side of the story. In 2002, the Cobb County Government purchased the Wallis House and Harriston Hill to prevent the house from being demolished. Since then, the county has been seeking to transfer the property to the park. My bill simply modifies the boundary of Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park to include the house and the hill and authorizes the park to acquire the property by donation. Along with the Cobb County Government, this land transfer is supported by the National Park Service, Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, and several park volunteer organizations and historical societies in my district. This legislation is an essential step toward preserving our Nation's heritage and a valuable part of Civil War history. The Wallis House and Harriston Hill will provide tremendous educational and historical value to Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, and it is my hope that the park will quickly acquire this property and restore it to its original condition for visitors to enjoy for generations to come. I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Chairman, Americans have heard time and time again over the last 8 years that our economy is in the slowest recovery since World War II. Why? It is because unelected bureaucrats bypass this body of Congress and continually push out hundreds of burdensome regulations onto American families who are struggling just to get by. The onslaught of regulations by this administration has proven to kill jobs, shut down businesses, and stifle our economic growth. But now it is time to make good on our promise to make a brighter future for Americans and begin to turn this Nation around. Just as the American people expect us to know what it is in a bill before we vote on it, it is equally important to know what is in a regulation. Most Federal agencies are required to conduct a thorough cost-benefit analysis of each regulation before finalizing it. But this isn't always the case for the Securities and Exchange Commission. While the SEC is subject to some cost-benefit requirements when a new regulation could have an overbearing impact on our marketplaces, they are exempt from having to identify alternative policies. I rise today in support of the SEC Regulatory Accountability Act because it will require the SEC to follow its own core principle of disclosure that it, in itself, enforces on the securities industry in this Nation. This bill would require the SEC to disclose all the costs and benefits of each proposed regulation to the public. We must not allow regulatory agencies to be a roadblock to job creation by failing to consider the impact proposed rules would have on our securities market. Additionally, this bill requires the SEC to clearly identify the nature of the issue before establishing a new regulation. Mr. Chairman, our economy cannot flourish without healthy capital markets. We must hold regulatory agencies to strict standards, just as they do the businesses they regulate across this Nation. This bill takes meaningful steps toward achieving these goals, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes.''

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. ``Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust or profit under the United States: but the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.''

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the bill (S. 3084) to invest in innovation through research and development, and to improve the competitiveness of the United States, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, computer technology dominates our ever- evolving world. As we continue moving towards a society dependent on communicating through our technical devices, the need for qualified people in the STEM fields is rapidly growing. Offering the opportunity for Georgia students to delve into computer programming will enhance industries across Georgia, our country, and the globe. Harnessing these skills benefits future generations, and will help build strong twenty-first century economies. Georgia's Day of Code, during Computer Science Education week, is a great way to place coding in the public eye. We must continue to promote this important vocation, and engage in our communities to advance technology development. The need for those in the technology field is vast and, in Georgia alone, employers post hundreds of IT-related jobs every day, which shows how promising the future is for professionals entering this field. Georgia's Day of Code encourages educators, parents, and policy makers to promote STEM-focused careers to students across the state. We must continue to advance and innovate in the technology sector, and what better way to do that than to invest in our next generation.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, I thank my colleague from Louisiana for working with us on combining two really good amendments to this. Mr. Chairman, we live in an era right now of vast growth of our government. Those that are bearing the burden of this growth and this overregulation are the American people. The average American family pays $15,000 a year in hidden regulatory costs. The burden of regulation upon the market and upon the industry today in our businesses is almost $1.9 trillion, nearly a $2 trillion impact on our economy that is coming out of our GDP. If we want to see a recovery, if we want to actually see success in this Nation in our economy, let's reduce the regulation. But we live in an era right now where the mentality of this government is: if it breaths, tax it; if it doesn't breath, subsidize it; and if it is successful, then we will regulate it. All this amendment does is require that these regulatory agencies be honest with the American people, be transparent with the American people, and let the American people know the cost that is going to come out of their pocketbooks for increasing regulation upon Americans, upon individuals, and upon their businesses. I thank the gentleman for stepping forward and working with us on this amendment.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. I thank the gentleman from the great State of Texas for yielding. Mr. Chair, we are at a time when the American people are forced to comply with crushing regulations that stifle business growth and strip Americans of their livelihood. At this time, Congress must take steps to reduce the red tape in the private sector. Earlier this year, the American Action Forum reported that the Dodd- Frank Act is costing Americans and consumers more now than any time since it was enacted. What ObamaCare has done to the cost of health care, Dodd-Frank has done to our financial sector. Since it was enacted, this law has resulted in 73 million hours of paperwork and $36 billion of harmful costs riding on the backs of taxpayers. In fact, The Wall Street Journal reports that regulatory compliance is now the fastest growing job field in the financial services sector. To put that in perspective, Dodd-Frank takes 37,000 full-time employees just to comply with the law for 1 year. These statistics are evidence of Ronald Reagan's warning that ``government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.'' H.R. 2357, the Accelerating Access to Capital Act, would expand the number of companies that are eligible to use a simplified registration form for public offerings, which will allow companies to obtain SEC approval in a matter of days instead of months. For too long, the SEC has been a barrier to investment capital, which is contrary to its mission. This change would allow private companies to focus more on growing their businesses and creating jobs and less on complying with excessive regulations. Mr. Chair, at a time when our Nation is in the slowest economic recovery since the Great Depression, we must take bold and decisive steps to reduce the excessive reach of government in our lives and foster a healthy economy. H.R. 2357 achieves these goals, and I encourage my colleagues to support the legislation.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good friend and a man, Mr. Gould B. Hagler, Jr., who has devoted his life to serving the individuals and the communities of Georgia. This year, Gould will retire from the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia, where he has spent the past thirty years working to represent the many independent insurance agencies and the thousands of Georgians employed by those small businesses. Under Gould's leadership, the Independent Insurance Agents of Georgia has been recognized for countless achievements by their national association. Gould has spent his career advocating for Georgians through his association management and legislative affairs positions with the Georgia General Assembly, the Council of State Governments and the Medical Association of Georgia. As a native Georgian, Gould has certainly made it his life's work to better the people and communities of our great state. On behalf of the people of Georgia's 11th Congressional District and the United States House of Representatives, I commend Gould B. Hagler, Jr. for his years of outstanding service, and congratulate him as he moves on to the next chapter of his life.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, on rollcall No. 441, I was unavoidably detained outside the Chamber. Had I been present, I would have voted ``yea.''

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. We do not at this time.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, under the Clean Air Act, Congress directed the EPA to regulate ``any air pollutant from any class or classes of new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines, which may be reasonably anticipated to endanger public health or welfare.'' Congress further defined ``motor vehicle'' as a ``self-propelled vehicle designed for transporting persons or property on a street or highway.'' Mr. Chairman, any reasonable person would understand that self- propelled vehicle means a vehicle that can propel itself of its own initiative. One would think of pickup trucks, semis, vans, or cars. One thing that does not come to mind is the back portion of a tractor trailer being the trailer portion which has no way of self-propelling itself. Unfortunately, the EPA doesn't seem to see it that way. In last year's proposed rules for greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards for on-road heavy-duty vehicles and engines, the EPA attempted to regulate truck trailers as self-propelled vehicles. Furthermore, the EPA has a voluntary program called SmartWay that provides engineering guidelines for aerodynamics and reduced truck weight. SmartWay, which is voluntary, is intended to improve fuel efficiency for combined tractor tailers. However, SmartWay only improves fuel efficiency when tractor trailers are traveling at highway speeds of more than 50 miles per hour. SmartWay provides no benefits whatsoever when the tractor trailers are traveling at less than 50 miles per hour around towns which are where most of the tractor trailers are used in the United States. But EPA wants to mandate all trailers to be governed by SmartWay, even those that travel less than 50 miles per hour. In fact, if the government manipulates the weight of trailers, cargo gets displaced which results in more tractor trailers on the road, higher consumer prices, and more greenhouse gas emissions just to meet current freight demands. Mr. Chairman, the trailers that EPA is proposing to regulate are highly customized to the individual specifications of each customer. Trailer manufacturers should not be forced to comply with a one-size- fits-all standard especially when given that so many trailers do not gain any fuel efficiency benefits from SmartWay. My amendment would prevent the EPA from using any funds in the bill to regulate trailers under the greenhouse gas rule. Not only should these guidelines remain voluntary because they only benefit some trailers, EPA has no business regulating trailers under the Clean Air Act given that they are not self-propelled. This proposed regulation by the EPA is another example of a Federal agency overstepping its bounds and attempting to enact a regulation that benefits some parts of the economy but harms others. If this attempted overreach by the EPA is enforced, it will be costly and counterproductive because the private sector is moving faster to improve fuel efficiency and reduce air pollution than the EPA can move. Congress would be wise to stop this regulation and keep the SmartWay program voluntary and let trailer manufacturers do what they know is best for their individual customers. I urge all Members to support this amendment. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Chairman, once again, as we have seen with the agencies, there is a lot of overreach. Quite often, if you give them an inch, they take a mile. I think it is imperative that we be proactive in this issue to ensure that we protect an industry that has done a good job of regulating itself. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOUDERMILK

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join us in this bipartisan effort to ensure the safety and security of many--not just employees, but citizens and visitors to this important facility, and I urge them to support this bill. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LOUDERMILK. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5636) to increase the effectiveness of and accountability for maintaining the physical security of NIST facilities and the safety of the NIST workforce.