Graves Applauds House Passage of The ALERRT ACT/ Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act

Statement

Congressman Sam Graves (MO-06), House Small Business Committee Chairman, released the following statement on House passage of the ALERRT Act (H.R. 2804), which includes the Committee-sponsored Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, by a vote of 236-179:

"While no one disputes that small businesses bear a greater regulatory compliance burden than larger companies, there is disagreement over whether Congress should act to improve the regulatory process, which all too often ignores the plight of small businesses. Washington can and must do better. The current rate of regulations that are unnecessarily burdensome is too great. The Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 was passed into law to improve the regulatory process by requiring analysis of small business impacts, but unfortunately, weaknesses in the statute have been exploited by federal agencies to the detriment of America's best job creators. Title III of the ALERRT Act, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, is needed because it ensures that agencies will carefully consider the consequences of rulemaking on small businesses, including indirect impacts, and provides increased opportunities for small business input earlier in the rulemaking process. Not all regulations are bad, but many can impose costly burdens that can be a tremendous barrier to small business growth and job creation."

Source