Orrin Hatch: “This particular bill's threshold is $50 million. And I have to say that all of small business throughout this country is…”

“This particular bill's threshold is $50 million. And I have to say that all of small business throughout this country is watching this particular vote. It is going to be the vote on small business, as was the Nunn-Coverdell amendment. I understand the arguments on both sides. But frankly, with the House at $25 million, us at $50 million, there seems little or no real justification for the $100 million. So I support the $50 million threshold in Dole-Johnston-Hatch. This is a small business measure. The whole purpose of fighting this out on the floor is to try and do it for small business people. The issue here is whether or not small businesses are going to be treated the same as larger businesses. The reg-flex act may not cover all rules that affect small businesses. As you know, the standards in that act were adopted by the Coverdell amendment. And that amendment may not cover all situations affecting small business, or at least I have been led to believe that is the case. And I still have some concerns whether small towns are covered by that amendment, individuals, small nonbusiness associations, charities. Those are all not covered by the Coverdell amendment. And should they not be protected by S. 343? And by this regulatory reform bill? I think that is what we come down to. I would prefer to keep the threshold at $50 million. I am not going to go and weep in the corner if this amendment goes down in defeat.”