“America’s workers must be defended, and this law will do exactly that: defending the jobs of workers in our state from the potential closure of their plant.  This is an excellent example of how both parties can join together to scale back bureaucratic rules that put jobs and families at risk. Sadly, unwise federal regulations—as this case demonstrates—frequently harm innovation, jobs, and growth. Our state has the best workers in the world and I am determined to defend them from any federal intrusion that threatens their ability to provide for their families.”

 

BACKGROUND:

Sessions, working closely with U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt and U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, sought a legislative fix to a federal requirement that was placing jobs at risk in Alabama. A federal requirement dictated that walk-in freezer doors had to use foam insulation, and as a result, it triggered a steep drop-off in orders of other kinds of walk-in freezer doors, including those made by HH Technologies, Inc., a family-owned business in Bremen, Alabama. Even though the Alabama product is believed to be superior, less costly, and more energy efficient than many of the freezer doors that use foam insulation, federal law essentially removed these Alabama-made doors from the marketplace. On September 22, 2012, the Senate passed a bill to address this unnecessary regulatory mandate. Identical language was included in H.R. 6582, which passed the House by an overwhelming vote of 398–2. Sessions worked to ensure that this bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent, and it was signed by the President yesterday.