WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Jim Risch introduced the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act to limit federal overreach and reduce federal spending. This bill requires agencies to repeal two existing regulations for each new significant regulation issued. The ‘one-in, two-out’ method codifies a 2017 Trump-era executive order to weed out old, unnecessary, and inefficient regulations. Agencies will be required to initiate simpler, cost-saving regulations which will benefit the federal government, small businesses, and American taxpayers.
Cosponsors of the legislation include U.S. Senators Mike Crapo, Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), and Mike Braun (R-Ind.).
“Idaho has been on the leading edge of cutting red tape, but federal spending and regulations continue to have far-reaching effects on Idaho small businesses and taxpayers,” said Senator Risch. “The federal government should follow Idaho’s lead in reducing costly and burdensome regulations with this effective one-in, two-out rule.”
“Idaho’s recent deregulation efforts have strengthened its position as a magnet for ingenuity, growth and free enterprise,” said Senator Crapo. “The federal government should follow suit, take a hard look at its laundry list of regulations and get rid of those that are mere power grabs that drown American innovation in paperwork and inefficiency. We must continue to do more to stop federal control from creeping into more aspects of our lives.”
“President Trump took the right approach when he required federal agencies to eliminate burdensome and wasteful regulations on businesses and taxpayers,” said Senator Hagerty. “Making this practical ‘one-in, two-out’ method permanent will free American workers and business owners from overregulation that stifles innovation, jobs, and wages, allowing the private sector to grow—not the government from a sclerotic regulatory approach.”
“Increasing government efficiency by cutting red tape is one of the many tools in our belt to combat the painful results of the Biden economic agenda. We need to rein in the bureaucracy so that taxpayer dollars are not being wasted on regulations that only make it harder for America’s small business owners to thrive,” said Senator Scott.
“The bureaucracy of the federal government is expansive, and the cost of complying with these regulations is burdensome for Americans,” said Senator Moran. “This legislation would require federal agencies to reduce regulations on American businesses instead of piling more rules on top of existing regulations.”
“I ran a business for 37 years in my hometown, and I know firsthand that small businesses and entrepreneurs are bogged down in regulations that aren’t all that effective at anything but slowing down job creation. I support this one-in, two-out policy that would take the wet blanket off our economy,” said Senator Braun.
Background: Idaho is the least regulated state in the country. In one of his first acts in office, Governor Brad Little spearheaded the Red Tape Reduction Act, which required state agencies to simplify or repeal two existing rules for each new rule proposed. Cutting red tape has been key to Idaho’s success, and it is past time the federal government follows Idaho’s lead.
What others are saying:
“In Idaho, we’ve taken an axe to state regulations for three straight years. We’ve cut or simplified 95-percent of red tape, and we’re not done yet. We’ve seen the results first-hand: when you remove regulatory friction, good jobs follow. Idaho’s economy outpaces every other state in the nation. I applaud Senator Risch for bringing the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act to rein in the Biden administration’s penchant for adding regulations that amount to little more than rocks in the shoes of small businesses. Washington, D.C., could learn a thing or two from Idaho, and this Act will help create jobs and save taxpayer dollars,” said Idaho Governor Brad Little.
“Instead of focusing on solutions to get the inflation crisis under control, the Biden administration continues to pour gasoline on the fire by pushing out regulation after regulation that will only serve to drive up costs for American families while protecting politically favored industries. Fortunately, Senator Risch is introducing the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act, which would put everyday Americans first by holding the administration’s feet to the fire and forcing them to cut harmful regulations,” said Garrett Bess, Vice President of Heritage Action.
"FreedomWorks thanks Senator Risch for introducing this important legislation and urges every Senator to become a co-sponsor. Our regulatory state has grown out of control. Unelected bureaucrats impose massive burdens on our economy, and stifle growth and innovation with costly regulations. If you were to accumulate the economic losses created by regulations, the costs total about four trillion dollars, more than most global economies. In a world that is rapidly advancing and innovating, we cannot afford to hamstring our nation’s businesses this way. Legislation like this is crucial to holding the Biden administration accountable, and re-asserting the legislative branch’s proper Article I authority," said Adam Brandon, President of FreedomWorks.
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