[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 49 (Thursday, March 16, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S4074]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        PRESIDENT CLINTON'S ANNOUNCEMENT ON FEDERAL REGULATIONS

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, today President Clinton announced his 
proposal for reinventing environmental, food and drug regulations. I 
certainly want to welcome President Clinton to the regulatory reform 
debate. Easing the burdens of compliance is a welcome first step, but 
misses the point that real reform means getting rid of unnecessary and 
overburdensome regulations.
  President Clinton is trying to have it both ways. On the one hand, 
his limited proposals are consistent with legislation I have introduced 
on regulatory reform. On the other, he sent his administrator of EPA to 
Capitol Hill last week to denounce our common sense reform bill as 
rolling back 20 years of environmental protection and to reel off wild 
horror stories that are an obvious misreading of what we are trying to 
do.
  On February 21, President Clinton specifically instructed the Federal 
regulators ``to go over every single regulation and cut those 
regulations which are obsolete.'' President Clinton's proposal does not 
meet that test--his proposal is no substitute for eliminating 
unnecessary regulations that stifle productivity, innovation and 
individual initiative. That is exactly the kind of reform the American 
people are looking for, and the kind of reform our comprehensive 
regulatory reform act will provide.
  What I am looking for is real common sense when regulations are 
needed. Commonsense regulations that will not require fines for not 
checking the right box, regulations that do not define all farm ponds 
as wetlands and regulations that will not create significant burdens 
for small businesses and communities.
  Americans are demanding that we get government off their backs by 
eliminating unnecessary regulations and applying some common sense 
before enacting regulations that are necessary. President Clinton's 
proposal today, while welcome, does not address this fundamental 
problem. I invite him to work with us to pass meaningful regulatory 
reform.
  Mr. McCAIN addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona is recognized.

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