This was a vote on a motion to recommit with instructions that would have required congressional committees to “place a high priority on preserving the standards that ensure the safety of the nation's food supply, safe drinking water, and the safety of children's toys” when conducting a review of federal regulations. (A motion to recommit with instructions is the minority's opportunity to torpedo or significantly change a bill before a final up-or-down vote on the measure.) This motion was offered to legislation instructing congressional committees to review existing, pending, and proposed regulations from federal agencies and identify which of those regulations may have been hindering economic growth and job creation.

There was no debate on this motion to recommit. Rep. Russ Carnahan (D-MO), however, spoke to the substance of his motion to recommit earlier during general debate on the underlying measure: “I'm in favor of a strong and vigorous debate here on cutting red tape and finding bipartisan solutions to our nation's problems. But to pretend that commonsense oversight measures to protect families and businesses are inherently burdensome with no benefit fails to acknowledge the reality of the financial disaster that was brought upon this country on Wall Street….It fails to acknowledge toxic toys and drywall coming into this country. It fails to acknowledge the increase in deadly food-borne illnesses from lax oversight of our food safety system. And it fails to acknowledge what the American people want us to work on right now, and that's creating good jobs to support their families.”

Rep. Pete Sessions  (R-TX) had responded: “The Republican Party is now in charge in this House, and our agenda is about jobs. It is about reducing spending, and it is about reducing the size of government….we start with rules and regulations that not only stifle innovativeness, that stifle inventions, and jobs, and job creation, but it is harming the way of life of the free enterprise system and sapping the energy from that system. By reviewing existing, pending, and proposed regulations from agencies of the federal government, Congress can begin to assist small and large businesses to focus on job creation, economic growth, and innovation. We first need to understand the too true impact that is being placed upon the free enterprise system.”

The House rejected this motion to recommit by a vote of 178-242. Voting “yea” were 178 Democrats. 239 Republicans and 3 Democrats voted “nay.” As a result, the House rejected a motion that would have required congressional committees to “place a high priority on preserving the standards that ensure the safety of the nation's food supply, safe drinking water, and the safety of children's toys” when conducting a review of federal regulations.