Regulatory Flexibility Legislation Statement on House of Representatives Approval of the Legislation.

I congratulate the House on passing the regulatory flexibility act. This bill, which has already passed the Senate, provides vital help for America's small businesses.

This bill recognizes that regulations need not be uniform to be effective. It requires all regulatory agencies to anticipate the impact on small business of their rules and paperwork requirements. Agencies must tailor their rules to the size of those affected whenever they can do so without sacrificing basic regulatory goals. This approach works. Last year I directed the executive agencies to use this process, and already dozens of rules have been adjusted.

The regulatory flexibility act adds another piece to the far-reaching regulatory reform record that we and Congress are building. Major reform legislation has been passed covering the airlines, banking, trucking, and natural gas. I urge Congress to continue this impressive record of progress in the next month by passing the railroad deregulation bill and other pending regulatory reform measures.