House Acts To Reduce Paperwork...
...And Regulatory Burden On Small Businesses
The U.S. House of Representatives has acted to reduce the federal paperwork and regulatory burden imposed on small businesses by passing a series of regulatory relief measures this week.
“It’s significant that while America’s leading entrepreneurs are celebrating National Small Business Week in Orlando, the House has acted to make it easier for them to continue to do what they do best create jobs and grow our economy,” said Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “I urge the Senate to complete the job and pass these bills as well,” he said.
Sullivan made the remarks while participating in SBA Expo ’04 in Orlando, Fla. Three thousand entrepreneurs are attending the three-day event, which features opportunities to meet and network with key representatives from Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, trade associations, and other small businesses nationwide.
Sullivan has strongly supported H.R. 2432, the Paperwork and Regulatory Improvements Act of 2004, by testifying twice before congressional committees. He noted that Advocacy research shows small businesses continue to pay a disproportionately large share of the total federal regulatory burden. For firms with fewer than 20 employees, the annual regulatory compliance burden in 2000 was estimated to be $6,975 per employee - nearly 60% higher than the $4,463 estimated for large firms with more than 500 employees.
The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the government, examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in user-friendly formats and it funds research into small business issues.
For more information, visit the Office of Advocacy website at www.sba.gov/advo.
Created by Congress in 1976, the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. Appointed by the President and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy directs the office. The Chief Counsel advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policy makers. Economic research, policy analyses, and small business outreach help identify issues of concern. Regional Advocates and an office in Washington, DC, support the Chief Counsel’s efforts. For more information on the Office of Advocacy, visit www.sba.gov/advo, or call (202) 205-6533.
