[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 84 (Friday, May 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1082]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



[[Page E1082]]

                     THE REGULATORY EFFICIENCY ACT

                                 ______


                            HON. RANDY TATE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 18, 1995
  Mr. TATE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce legislation to 
streamline our Nation's regulatory process. The Regulatory Efficiency 
Act of 1995 will force Government agencies to finalize proposed 
regulations within 18 months or the proposals will be terminated.
  For too long, Government bureaucrats have terrorized private property 
owners, small businesses, and individuals with unreasonable regulatory 
proposals. Too many Americans and their businesses have worried about 
complying with costly and burdensome proposed regulations well before 
they take effect. In many cases, a proposed regulation will loom while 
taxpayers are waiting for the ax to fall. Many time, businesses spend 
thousands of dollars to change their facilities or operations because 
they expect that they will have to comply with the proposed regulation 
in the future. Unfortunately, our regulatory system is far from 
perfect. Too often is the case when businesses comply with a proposed 
regulation, only to have the proposed regulation change significantly, 
or be withdrawn, before it becomes final. Many in fact, change the way 
they operate soon after a regulation is proposed only to clear later 
that the proposed regulation is not the regulation that will become 
effective. In other cases, proposed regulations do not become final 
until weeks before their enforceability--leaving it impossible for 
businesses to comply in a timely fashion. I do not need to tell my 
colleagues what happens when a business does not comply with a Federal 
regulation.
  We must put an end to this drawn-out regulatory roller coaster ride. 
American taxpayers and businesses should know there is a definite date 
by which a proposed regulation becomes final or it will terminate. The 
American people want common sense returned to Government. My bill 
brings efficiency and certainly back to the regulatory process. I urge 
my colleagues to support this long-awaited legislation.


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