[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 160 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Pages S15219-S15220]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                CENSUS BUREAU BURDENS ON SMALL BUSINESS

  Mr. COVERDELL. Mr. President, I rise today to bring your attention to 
a single example of what I believe to be an all too common practice of 
our Government bullying small businesses with burdensome requirements.
  My office recently received a letter from a small business in Georgia 
describing the mounds of reports required by the U.S. Bureau of the 
Census. I believe this case serves as an excellent example of the kind 
of bully Government so many of us in the Senate have worked to control 
through regulation reform and paper work reduction. The most troubling 
message to me in this letter is that this small company does not 
perceive such Government burdens as atypical, just as a normal course 
of doing business in America.
  How far are we going to stretch the limited resources of our small 
businesses? Let me list for you the reports this company, the Great 
American Cookie Co., must submit to the Bureau of the Census or face 
Federal penalties: Report of Organization, Survey of Industrial 
Research and Development, Survey of Business, Investment Plans Survey, 
Current Retail Sales and Inventory Report, Annual Trade Report, and 
Annual Capital Expenditures Survey.
  In addition, it also provides much of the same information to each of 
the more than 40 States and in some cases municipalities in which it 
operates retail outlets. These State reports include summaries on 
payroll taxes, income taxes, property taxes, sales taxes, worker's 
compensation, property and liability insurance, annual reports and 
franchise returns.
  As you and my other colleagues know, we succeeded in getting a 
provision included in the Paper Work Reduction Act to reduce the burden 
of firms who are forced to file quarterly reports by the Bureau of the 
Census used to compile the ``Quarterly Financial Report for 
Manufacturing, Mining, and Trade Corporations.'' While I am pleased 
this is now law, I firmly believe we can do more to reduce the 
formidable burdens imposed by the Bureau of the Census, especially for 
small businesses.
  By allowing this veritable gauntlet of requirements for doing 
business in America to continue, I wonder at the kind of message we, 
the Members of the U.S. Senate, are sending to small businesses.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the content of the letter 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letter was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                              Great American Cookie Co., Inc.,

                                  Atlanta, GA, September 14, 1995.
     Hon. Paul Coverdell,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Coverdell: I am writing this letter to express 
     concern over reporting requirements of the Census Bureau upon 
     The Great American Cookie Company, Inc. (the Company). The 
     Company is currently responsible for the following reports: 
     Report of Organization, Survey of Industrial Research and 
     Development, Survey of Businesses, Investment Plans Survey, 
     Current Retail Sales and Inventory Report, Annual Trade 
     Report and Annual Capital Expenditures Survey. We understand 
     that, as a governmental agency, the information provided by 
     these reports is a valuable tool for monitoring certain types 
     of business activity. However, as a small business with 
     limited resources, these reporting requirements place an 
     undue burden on us. 

[[Page S 15220]]

       The initial difficulty arises from the fact that we 
     currently have over 100 retail outlets located in over 40 
     states. As a result, we are already providing a multitude of 
     information to each state (and in some instances, each 
     municipality). These reporting requirements include, but are 
     not limited to, payroll, income, property, sales and use 
     taxes, worker's compensation, property and liability 
     insurance, annual reports and franchise returns. Along with 
     these requirements come the inevitable compliance audits. 
     These reporting requirements, that are merely a cost of doing 
     business in each locality, considerably increase our 
     administrative costs.
       Furthermore, over the past two years, our form of business 
     organization has changed. Late in 1993, our company became 
     subject to The Security and Exchange Commission's reporting 
     requirements as defined in The Securities Exchange Act of 
     1934. To satisfy these reporting requirements, we have had to 
     stretch our resources further.
       As a company, we view our circumstances not as excuses, but 
     rather as evidence that governmental controls can sometimes 
     create more of a burden to certain businesses instead of a 
     benefit. Certainly, the letter of the law can require us to 
     continue to report the requested information or incur the 
     penalties. However, in keeping with the spirit of the law, we 
     respectfully submit this letter as a plea to be relieved of 
     our Census Bureau reporting requirements.
       Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
           Best regards,
                                         W. James Squire III, CFE,
     Senior Vice President--Franchising.

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