SHAHEEN APPLAUDS FEDERAL AGENCY PLANS TO ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY BUSINESS REGULATIONS

(Washington, DC) – Continuing her call for the elimination of unnecessary government programs and regulations, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today praised proposals from a host of federal agencies to eliminate redundant and outdated regulations that excessively burden American businesses.  The plans, put forward by more than two dozen agencies in response to an Executive Order from President Obama calling for a government-wide review of the nation’s regulatory system, have the potential to eliminate tens of millions of hours in reporting burdens and billions of dollars in regulatory costs.

“These reforms could save U.S. businesses billions by eliminating needless paperwork and unnecessary requirements,” said Shaheen, a member of the Small Business Committee.  “With a recovering economy, we must find a regulatory balance that maintains appropriate safeguards while still fostering job creation.  I look forward to reviewing these proposals in their final form and will continue to look for ways to root out unnecessary regulations.”

Shaheen has been a strong advocate for reducing wasteful spending through elimination of unneeded programs.  This year, she has introduced bills to phase out unnecessary federal price supports for U.S. sugar growers and eliminate double subsidies for gold and silver mining.  As a member of the Small Business Committee, she co-introduced legislation to get rid of an unnecessary business reporting requirement from last year’s health care reform legislation which was successfully repealed.

Highlights from today’s agency plans include: 

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plans to finalize a proposed rule that would harmonize U.S. hazard classifications and labels with those used by other nations, which is expected to result in an annualized $585 million in estimated savings for employers.
• The Environnmental Protection Agency (EPA) will propose eliminating the redundant obligation for many states to require air pollution vapor recovery systems at local gas stations because modern vehicles already have effective air pollution control technologies. The anticipated annual savings are about $67 million.
• The Departments of Commerce and State are undertaking a series of steps to eliminate unnecessary barriers to exports, including duplicative and unnecessary regulatory requirements, thus reducing the cumulative burden and uncertainty faced by American companies and their trading partners. These steps will make it easier for American companies to reach new markets, increasing our exports while creating jobs here at home.

For more information on the agency proposals, please click here.