Dale Bumpers: “first, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the chairman of the Small Business Committee, my distinguished…”

“first, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the chairman of the Small Business Committee, my distinguished colleague, Senator Bond, who has spoken very eloquently about this whole issue. Second, I want to say that all the concerns I had about this bill-- and we had some--he has very graciously accommodated. I think the bill is to the point now that if it were permitted to be brought up it would sail through this Chamber by a vote of 100-zip. In 1980, Congress passed what we know as the Regulatory Flexibility Act. It was designed to lighten the regulatory burden on small businesses. What is wrong? It has not worked. The small business community feels that they have been taken because the bill simply did not provide the relief that was represented to them. Every White House conference for small business that has been held has put regulatory flexibility as one of the very top issues that concern them. In 1992 it was one of their top issues. Now here is an opportunity for Congress, for the first time, to keep faith with the small business community on something they say is just about the highest item on the agenda. There is absolutely no sense in anybody delaying the taking up or the passing of this bill. To those who are working on a much broader regulatory reform bill, I say, ``amen.'' You have my blessing. Stay with it. I hope some regulatory reform bill on a comprehensive basis is offered that I can support.”