NEVADA - CD 4 REPRESENTATIVE CRESENT HARDY MUST BE RE-ELECTED

Dear Friends, Congress had a productive session in Washington. The House passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to provide the funding and resources our troops need to protect our great nation. Included in this year’s NDAA is an original measure of mine that will require federal agencies to assist small businesses with accessing resources to help them meet certain requirements that come along with federal contracts. I also want to update business owners and managers about a dramatic labor rule change that could negatively impact their operations. Last, I was privileged to be visited by the talented Mariachi Oro students of Rancho High School. They were in DC last week as the first mariachi group from the Clark County School District to perform in our nation’s capital. Keep reading below for more details on what went on last week and please remember: you can always contact my office if you need assistance with a federal issue. Serving you, Cresent Hardy Featured News: Connect to Congress: Rep. Cresent Hardy – 3 News Las Vegas In this wide-sweeping interview, we discuss serving our veterans, helping small businesses in Nevada, and overcoming Congressional gridlock.

Hardy Stands Up For Our Troops

The House upheld Congress’s single most important constitutional responsibility: to "provide for the common defense. The NDAA that passed will increase mission readiness by reversing devastating cuts to training and equipment caused by sequestration, maintain troop strength in the face of the administration’s calls for reductions, give our troops a well-deserved pay raise and make important reforms to improve military health care. Our troops put their safety on the line every day. It's only right that we provide them the tools and resources they need to do their jobs. My measure to assist businesses with federal contracts was also included in the NDAA. Small businesses that win a federal contract often find their hands being tied by the red tape that comes along with that contract. The Small Business Easy Contract Compliance Enhancement and List Act of 2016 will assist businesses owners by requiring small business advocates at the Small Business Administration, advocates within various federal agencies and dedicated mentor companies to help them find available resources that will help them meet federal compliance requirements. This will help numerous entrepreneurs in our state to streamline their efforts as they patriotically fulfill many needs at our military bases and more. This will translate into less wasted time for business owners and more resources for quality contract fulfillment.

Administration Kills Nevada Jobs in Poor Attempt at Higher Wages

Employers will now be required to provide overtime pay to employees making $47,476 or less – a 100% increase over the previous requirement. This may sound great on the surface, but the end result could actually harm workers instead of help them. The Obama administration wants to talk about job growth, but they continue to do whatever it takes to hamper the ability of America’s job creators to keep our economy moving. Employers in all industries in Nevada – tourism, non-profit, higher education, and small business – will be forced to reduce hours and benefits, or move salaried workers to an hourly status if they cannot afford the additional pay. That is an economic reality. Reforming overtime pay thresholds deserve consideration, but unilaterally doubling the requirement on all employers across the nation is such a steep shift that many employers will be unable to adjust their costs and keep their current workforce employed at all. Where does the administration think the money will come from? As Chair of the House Small Business Subcommittee on Investigations, Oversight and Regulations, I have been fighting to stop this rule by holding a Congressional hearing on the problem and leading a bipartisan group of more than 100 Members of Congress in filing a formal complaint with the Department of Labor highlighting the harmful impacts of this policy change and encouraging the administration to reconsider. Unfortunately, the administration has failed to listen to the bipartisan concerns of the people’s House. The Overtime Rule is set to take effect on December 1, 2016, but I will not stop fighting to protect Nevada’s jobs and economy.