WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) made the following remarks on Senate floor today regarding Senate work to roll back a costly Obama Administration ‘blacklisting’ regulation through the Congressional Review Act:

“Regulations aren’t issued in a vacuum; they have real economic consequences that can harm the middle class. They can kill jobs, raise prices, depress wages, and lower opportunities. And yet, the Obama Administration went on a regulatory rampage at a time when we should’ve been looking to do just the opposite.

“On its way out the door, the previous administration continued to push through more of these job-killing, partisan regulations against the advice of Congress, state and local officials, and policy experts.

“Fortunately, we now have the opportunity to provide relief from some of these costly, duplicative rules using the tools provided by the Congressional Review Act, or CRA. We only have a short window of opportunity to use these CRA tools, however, which is why we’ve been working quickly to provide relief.

“The Senate has already advanced several proposals that repeal harmful regulations, and, together with the new administration, we’ve embarked on what one national paper recently called the ‘most ambitious regulatory rollback since Reagan.’

“Three CRA resolutions have already become law, and we look forward to passing even more this week. In fact, we’ll have an opportunity to send the president another resolution as soon as this evening. The proposal before us will block another duplicative, unnecessary 11th Hour regulation that hurts American businesses.

“This one is called the ‘Blacklisting Rule.’ Apparently the last administration thought it would be a good idea to prevent American businesses from earning government contracts based on allegations, not facts. Unsurprisingly, Federal Courts have blocked the rule because of its questionable legality. Now we have the opportunity to provide permanent relief.

“Of course we all agree that companies should be held accountable and that workers’ rights should be protected. Current law already provides the tools to do so. But the Blacklisting Rule isn’t really about helping employers or workers, it’s about empowering the powerful — like union bosses and entrenched bureaucrats — and it would actually make a system designed to protect workers less efficient. More important for the American people, it would cost taxpayers hundreds of millions, generate millions of hours in paperwork, and of course threaten jobs.

“So of course it’s time to move past this regulation. I want to thank my colleague Senator Johnson, Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, for working with the House to advance this resolution and protect the American people.

“I look forward to its final passage tonight. After we take that vote, the Senate will continue working to advance even more regulatory relief measures to help get our country back on track.”