WTAS: Industry Leaders React to Findings of Committee Staff Report on Regulatory Flexibility Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On May 22^nd, Congressman Roger Williams (TX-25), Chairman of the House Committee on Small Business, along with the Republican Members of the Committee, released a staff report detailing the Biden Administration's failure to comply with the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA). The following three statements are from industry experts and stakeholders who applauded Chairman Williams and the Committee for releasing this staff report.

"The federal government's regulatory onslaught is limiting growth and job creation at manufacturers across the country, including and especially small manufacturers. The U.S. economy faces more than $3 trillion in regulatory costs every year, with a disproportionate share of that burden-more than $350 billion annually-falling on the manufacturing industry. Small manufacturers spend, on average, more than $50,000 per employee per year on regulatory costs. Agencies must do a better job at protecting manufacturers from costly, duplicative, unworkable regulations-including by better addressing their impact on small businesses," said Charles Crain, Vice President of Domestic Policy, National Association of Manufacturers.

"The Biden Administration has imposed more than $1.6 trillion in new regulatory costs. These costs disproportionately impact small businesses that do not have compliance officers or lawyers to help navigate complex regulatory issues. The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) was bipartisan legislation intended to correct this imbalance. However, as NFIB's 2023 white paper found and Chairman Williams' report confirms, agencies have found creative ways to misrepresent, minimize or ignore regulatory costs on small businesses. On behalf of small businesses across the country, NFIB thanks Chairman Williams for his work examining burdensome regulations and urges the House Small Business Committee to strengthen the RFA," said the National Federation of Independent Business.

"Strengthening the Regulatory Flexibility Act is key to ensuring electric co-ops as utility sector small entities have their voices heard in the federal rulemaking process. Thank you to Chairman Williams and the Small Business Committee staff for helping protect consumer-owned co-ops from undue regulatory burdens that jeopardize electric reliability and affordability," said Louis Finkel, Senior Vice President for Government Relations, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

---

Background:

The House Committee on Small Business conducted a 15-month long investigation into the Biden Administration's failure to comply with the RFA. From day one, the Administration released an onslaught of regulations on Main Street. The numbers are staggering: over $1.6 trillion in regulation cost and over 312 million paperwork hours. While the report has been released, this does not signal the end of the Committee's focus on this issue. With Chairman Williams at the helm, the Committee remains committed to ensuring that small firms across the country are not burdened with duplicative and unnecessary rules and regulations that hamper their ability to compete in the marketplace. The Committee hopes the Administration will alter its course and rescind the rules discussed in the report.

###