New Guide To Regulatory Maze...
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Small business owners have a new tool to help cut through the complex and confusing federal regulatory process. The recently launched Regulatory Alerts web page of the Office of Advocacy now provides one-stop access to proposed regulations, ability to submit comments on the proposal, direct access to Advocacy staff, and links to other regulatory related sites.
"The Office of Advocacy works hard to make sure the voice of small business is heard by federal agencies," said Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. "Unfortunately, the regulatory process is not always transparent and discourages comments from affected small businesses. With the launch of our Regulatory Alerts web page, we hope to make the process more accessible for small business owners. With this new tool they can submit their comments for the public record and have their voice heard," he said.
The Regulatory Alerts page is located in the Office of Advocacy web site at www.sba.gov/advo. It divides proposed regulations into easily understood subject areas such as environmental; safety, health and labor; and tax. Advocacy encourages small businesses affected by the proposed rules to provide the Federal agency issuing the notice with comments on the rule and the agency's analysis of potential impacts on small business.
From the new page, small business owners and other interested parties can send their comments directly to federal agencies through regulations.gov, the federal government’s site for citizen participation in rulemaking. The new Regulatory Alerts page also links to non-governmental sites that review regulatory policy and make recommendations for reform.
The Office of Advocacy 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.
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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.
