[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 79 (Monday, June 7, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1137]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        H.R. 1882, THE SMALL BUSINESS REGULATORY FLEXIBILITY ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. THOMAS W. EWING

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 7, 1999

  Mr. EWING. Mr. Speaker, as one of the original champions of the Small 
Business Regulatory Flexibility Act, otherwise known as SBREFA, I wish 
to express my strong support for H.R. 1882, the Small Business Review 
Panel Technical Amendments Act, of which I am an original co-sponsor. 
As the bill's name would suggest, it will make several needed technical 
changes to the original landmark law. But more significantly, H.R. 1882 
will hold the Internal Revenue Service more accountable to small 
businesses. This important piece of legislation will require the IRS to 
convene Small Business Advocacy Review Panels when proposing new 
regulations that will have a significant impact on small businesses. 
These review panels will involve actual small business owners and their 
comments will be used to help improve regulations prior to release. 
Since 1996, the panel process has been applied to the Environmental 
Protection Agency and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration 
and the results thus far have been extremely positive leading to much 
improved rulemaking.
  I am extremely pleased the House is considering amending SBREFA to 
include the IRS. However, I am concerned the benefits of this 
legislation may go partially unrealized. A primary reason for the 
success of SBREFA has been the role the SBA Office of Advocacy plays in 
the review panel process. Economic research conducted by the Office of 
Advocacy has been instrumental in demonstrating errors in assumptions 
made by the EPA and OSHA. But the Office of Advocacy's economic 
research budget has been stretched to the limits, forcing the chief 
Counsel for Advocacy to limit the office's research activities. If we 
are to expand the Office of Advocacy's responsibilities under SBREFA, 
as this bill does, then I feel it is absolutely necessary to make sure 
that Advocacy's economic research budget equals these new 
responsibilities.
  I urge my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 1882 and applaud 
the efforts of Chairman Jim Talent to bring this bill to the floor and 
his consistent work on behalf of small businesses throughout the 
country.

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