Byron Dorgan: “Let me turn to the question of regulations. We, on the floor of the Senate, are going to be discussing regulatory…”

“Let me turn to the question of regulations. We, on the floor of the Senate, are going to be discussing regulatory reform. It has been of great interest to me to see what has happened on the issue of regulations. It has become a cottage industry, and certainly a political industry, to decide that government is evil, and government regulations are inherently evil, and what we need to do is wage war against government safeguards and standards. Let me be the first to say that there are some people who propose and write regulations that make no sense at all and that make life difficult for people. That happens sometimes. I realize that. What we ought to do is combat bad regulation and get rid of it. Bad government regulations that do not make any sense and are impossible to comply with--we ought to get rid of them. I understand and accept that. But I am not one who believes we ought to bring to the floor of the Senate initiatives that say, 'Let's step back from the substantial regulations that made life better in this country for dozens of years.'”