SENATORS CALL FOR CANCELLATION OF ‘PERSUADER’ RULE

Washington, D.C. - Senator Ron Johnson (WI) today released a letter to Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, signed by 21 Republican Senators. The letter requests that Department rescind its recent modification to the ‘persuader rule.”

Johnson said:

“President Obama has said that federal regulations are placing unreasonable burdens on business. Yet there have been 1,841 rulemaking proceedings in just the first six months of 2011.  This change to the ‘persuader rule’ vastly expands the reporting requirements on law-abiding small business owners. It will make violations of the law more likely, by making it harder for business owners to seek legal counsel about ordinary matters. It’s so bad that even the American Bar Association opposes it.

“It is clear that this administration doesn’t know the first thing about creating jobs. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, This new rule will cost employers, on average, $1.5 billion in just the first year – money that could otherwise be spent expanding businesses and hiring workers. If the President really wants to limit regulation and encourage job growth, he should repeal this rule immediately.”

The letter is signed by Johnson and 20 other Republican Senators: Lamar Alexander (TN), Kelly Ayotte (NH), John Barrasso (WY), Roy Blunt (MO), John Boozman (AR), Richard Burr (NC), Tom Coburn (OK), Susan Collins (ME), Jim DeMint (SC), Orrin Hatch (UT), Jim Inhofe (OK), Jon Kyl (AZ), Mike Lee (UT), John McCain (AZ), Mitch McConnell (KY), Rand Paul (KY), Jim Risch (ID), Marco Rubio (FL), John Thune (SD), and Roger Wicker (MS).

A copy of the letter is available here.

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