November 25, 2008 News Release from the Office of Advocacy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Small businesses and their representatives are continuing to nominate federal rules in need of review and reform. Nominations for the 2009 Top 10 Rules for Review and Reform are being received from across the country and a variety of industries. They are in response to the Office of Advocacy’s Regulatory Review and Reform (r3) initiative.

Momentum is building for the second year of the r3 initiative Top 10,” said Shawne McGibbon, acting Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “With the success of last year’s Top 10, small business understands that making constructive suggestions for how to improve current rules can result in federal agency action.”

The 2008 Top 10 rules included several that have been reviewed and reformed during the year. For example, in October the EPA encouraged small business to recycle and reclaim their spent materials by reforming the “definition of solid waste.” By reviewing and reforming the definition, EPA is encouraging recycling rather than disposal of certain spent materials.

Moreover, Congress also recognizes the potential the r3 initiative has for unburdening small business in a time of economic uncertainty. In July, Chairman Charles Gonzalez (D-TX) of the Regulations, Healthcare, and Trade Subcommittee of the U.S. House Small Business Committee held an oversight hearing on “Regulatory Burdens on Small Firms: What Rules Need Reforms?” that examined the 2008 r3 Top 10 Rules for Review and Reform.

That hearing resulted in the introduction of the Home Office Tax Deduction Simplification and Improvement Act (H.R. 7074). The bill simplifies the home office deduction by introducing a standard deduction for small business owners. It is companion legislation to S. 3371, introduced earlier this year by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME). Simplification of the home office deduction was one of the 2008 Top 10 nominations.

The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration is still seeking nominations of federal rules in need of review and reform. Early next year, the Office of Advocacy will transmit the 2009 Top 10 rules nominated by small business owners, trade associations, to the appropriate federal agencies for review and reform.

Nominate regulations needing review and reform by visiting the Office of Advocacy r3 website at www.sba.gov/advo/r3, by sending an email to advocacy@sba.gov, or by calling Keith Holman at (202) 205-6533. Nominations are due by December 31, 2008.

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The Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business within the federal government. The presidentially appointed Chief Counsel for Advocacy advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and state policy makers. For more information, visit www.sba.gov/advo, or call (202) 205-6533.