Archive

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Document Name: Appendix D: Regulatory Reform Efforts
Date: 09/07/95
Owner: National Performance Review
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Appendix D: Regulatory Reform Efforts
In early 1995, the President and Vice President expanded on earlier National Performance Review (NPR) initiatives to reinvent agency regulatory systems to reduce burdens and make the process more open and results-oriented. To do this, they charged agencies and departments to

* conduct a page-by-page review of all their regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), eliminating or revising those regulations that are outdated or otherwise in need of reform;

* reward results, not red tape, by changing performance measurement systems to focus on ultimate goals (e.g., cleaner air and safer workplaces) rather than the number of citations written and fines assessed;

* get out of Washington and create grassroots partnerships between the front-line regulators and the people affected by their regulations;

* negotiate, rather than dictate, by expanding opportunities for consensual rulemaking wherever possible;

* waive fines or allow them to be used to fix the problem when a small business is a first-time violator and has been acting in good faith; and

* double the amount of time that passes before a report is required to be filed (e.g., a semiannual report should now be required annually) and accept reports filed electronically whenever possible.

Agency Efforts

In June 1995, 28 agencies and departments with major regulatory responsibilities reported their progress and plans to the President. Below are highlights of these plans and contact points for additional information.

Department of Agriculture (USDA)-USDA is eliminating or reinventing more than 81 percent of its CFR pages, and taking steps to give the public greater access to and greater involvement in the regulatory process. For plan copies, contact Marvin Shapiro, (202) 720-1516.

Architectural and Transportation Barriers Board-The board's regulatory reform effort has focused on increasing the involvement of the design and building industry, disability organizations, state and local governments, and other interested stakeholders in the development and review of accessibility guidelines. The board will eliminate or revise 72 percent of its CFR pages. For plan copies, contact Jim Raggio Shollenberger, (202) 272-5434, ext. 714.

Department of Commerce -The department's Bureau of Export Administration has published a proposed rule that would completely rework existing export regulations to make the rules more comprehensible to all customers. In addition, an interim final rule of the Economic Development Administration would delete more than 200 of its approximately 370 regulations. Departmentwide, Commerce is eliminating or revising more than 60 percent of its parts in the CFR. For plan copies, contact Julie Rice, (202) 482-6006.

Consumer Product Safety Commission-The commission has been successful in forging innovative partnerships with industry and consumer groups to promote greater product safety for the American public, and in encouraging industry to improve the safety of its products voluntarily in lieu of mandatory regulations. For plan copies, contact Todd Stevenson, (301) 504-0785, ext. 1239.

Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers-The Corps is taking steps to make the wetlands program fairer and more flexible for landowners and more effective in protecting aquatic resources. For plan copies, contact Michael Davis, (202) 761-0199.

Department of Education-The department has already eliminated more than 30 percent of its CFR parts and ultimately plans to eliminate or reinvent 93 percent. Senior department officials have held numerous meetings across the country; through these, they have developed unprecedented partnerships with states, localities, and schools, leading to customer-focused approaches to program legislation, regulations, and implementation. For plan copies, contact Jim Bradshaw, (202) 401-2310.

Department of Energy (DOE)-DOE is committed to abolishing or simplifying 75 percent of its regulations. For plan copies, contact Office of Public Information, (202) 586-5575.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-EPA will delete 11 percent of existing pages of regulations and further revise another 70 percent of its CFR parts to help businesses achieve environmental protection goals faster and at less cost. For plan copies, contact Joe Retzer, (202) 260-2472.

Farm Credit Administration (FCA)-FCA has undertaken significant measures to ensure that its regulations are current and technically correct and that the Farm Credit System it regulates provides high value to the agricultural sector at low cost to its customers. For plan copies, contact Robert E. Orrick, (703) 883-4455.

Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation (FCSIC)-Although FCSIC has limited authority to issue regulations, it has reached out to Farm Credit System institutions to discuss issues relating to the insurance program and to solicit input regarding major policy issues. For plan copies, contact Alan Glenn, (703) 883-4380.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)-The FCC has implemented a number of internal changes, as well as recommended regulatory changes to streamline processes and reduce burdens. Expanding payment options and delegating authority to line staff have significantly streamlined FCC processing. For plan copies, contact Sandy Haase, (301) 725-1585.

Federal Housing Finance Board-The Finance Board is taking steps to minimize the regulatory burden felt by federal home loan banks. Reporting requirements are being reduced, and management decisions best handled at the bank level are being delegated. For plan copies, contact David A. Guy, (202) 408-2536.

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC)-The commission has completely eliminated 32 percent of its CFR parts, particularly easing requirements made on common carriers by water and nonvessel-operating common carriers. FMC is simplifying and streamlining in other areas as well, particularly regarding domestic offshore trade financial filing requirements and tariff filing requirements. For plan copies, contact Joseph Polking, (202) 523-5725.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)-The commission staff with day-to-day responsibilities for FTC program implementation participated in several events around the country to explain the commission's programs and regulations, to encourage voluntary compliance, and to obtain views about how well the regulations are working and what changes might be useful and appropriate to reduce regulatory burdens. For plan copies, contact Elaine Kolish, (202) 326-3042.

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)-HHS is undertaking a wide range of reforms to reduce regulatory burden and promote better communication, consensus building, and a less adversarial environment while maintaining essential health and safety protections. HHS is proposing to eliminate more than 1,000 of its CFR pages by rulemaking as well as an additional 700 or so pages that will require statutory change to delete. It plans to reinvent another 2,200 pages. For plan copies, contact HHS Press Office, (202) 690-6343.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)-HUD is eliminating 2,800 pages of regulations, which is 65 percent of its portion of the CFR. Application and reporting processes have been consolidated for Community Development Block Grants, HOME, Emergency Shelter Grants, and Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS. For plan copies, contact Mary Ellen Bergeron, (202) 708-0123.

Department of the Interior-Interior is implementing a new plain language approach throughout its regulatory activities, to make all its regulations better organized, easier to understand, and of greater use to the public. For plan copies, contact Mike Gauldin, (202) 208-6416.

Department of Justice-Justice is committed to having the least burdensome requirements necessary to fulfill its statutorily mandated law enforcement responsibilities. The Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Drug Enforcement Agency have eliminated or reinvented regulations to minimize costs and burdens on businesses and individuals. Also, the Office of Justice Programs has reinvented regulations relating to its grant programs to streamline, simplify, and speed the applications process for state and local governments and other entities. For plan copies, contact Kevin R. Jones, (202) 514-4604.

Department of Labor (DOL)-DOL agencies, particularly the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration are working with their respective communities to build a set of modern workplace safety and health standards that will protect workers and that are more user-friendly for employers. For plan copies, contact Michael Urquhart, (202) 213-7357.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission-The commission is simplifying review requirements for writing utility applications, developing less prescriptive options for leak-rate testing of containment vessels, and taking steps to delete security requirements without compromising physical protections against radiological sabotage. For plan copies, contact Beth Hayden, (301) 415-8200.

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation-The corporation is restructuring and renumbering its regulations to make them conform to the structure and numbering system of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA, the underlying statute), making it easier for the publication and pension professionals to find and understand the regulations. The corporation's number of CFR pages will be reduced 25 percent. For plan copies, contact Joseph Grant, (202) 326-4080.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)-SEC has several initiatives to fulfill its responsibilities to investors and markets, including streamlining review processes for self-regulatory organizations' rule filings. SEC has also increased its commitment to improve public awareness and educate investors, in part by holding town and investor education meetings. For plan copies, contact Diane Campbell, (202) 942-4306.

Small Business Administration (SBA)-SBA announced plans to eliminate 51 percent of its regulations by the end of 1995. The agency is also continuing its efforts to partner with the small business community and reduce burdens associated with its loan programs. For plan copies, contact Ron Matzner, (202) 205-6642.

Social Security Administration-The administration sought public input to its regulatory review process and has identified more than 50 percent of its CFR pages as candidates for revision or improvement. For plan copies, contact Toni Lenane, (410) 965-7767.

Department of State-The State Department is revising its regulations affecting consular operations; this will simplify passport operations and the issuance of visas to foreign visitors. For plan copies, contact Mary Beth West, (202) 647-5154.

Department of Transportation (DOT)-As a result of a recent review of regulations by all its agencies, DOT is making many changes that include actions to decrease burdens, permit electronic filing, and facilitate the use of new technology. For plan copies, contact Neil Eisner, (202) 366-4723.

Department of the Treasury-Treasury nontax agencies are eliminating or reinventing 57 percent of their CFR pages. The Internal Revenue Service has also examined its regulations and is eliminating 693 CFR pages and and other ruling documents and reinventing another 551 pages. For plan copies, contact Chris Peacock, (202) 622-2930.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-VA has taken a number of actions designed to produce better and smarter regulations and to improve the way the department administers veterans' benefits. These actions include updating rating schedules used to determine payment amounts to veterans for service-related disabilities to reflect recent medical advances. For plan copies, contact Tom Gessel, (202) 565-7625.

Cross-Cutting Issues

The Vice President and his regulatory advisors are also addressing regulatory issues that cut across agencies. To date, seven sector-specific reports have been prepared. Following are brief descriptions of these reports and their recommendations, along with contact points to obtain additional information.
Regulatory reform work will continue over the next few months in a number of other areas, such as natural resources, education, and science and technology.

Reinventing Drug and Medical Device Regulations

Released April 5, 1995. For plan copies, contact FDA Office of Communications, (301) 443-3220.

Principles for Regulatory Reform

1. Use performance standards, rather than command and control regulations, whenever
possible.

2. Expedite product review without sacrificing the health and safety of the public.

3. Eliminate unnecessary requirements that may have been appropriate once but are no
longer necessary for public health.

4. Use modern automated technology as a tool in streamlining internal agency management
and as an aid to industry in meeting its regulatory requirements.

Recommendations

FDA01	Reduce FDA Requirements for Companies Seeking Approval for Changes in Their Facilities or Processes for Manufacturing Drugs, Biotechnology Drugs, and Other Biologics If the Risk Is Negligible
FDA02	Allow Manufacturers of Biological Drugs to Get Licenses for Pilot Facilities Rather Than Be Forced to Build Full-Scale Plants
FDA03	Permit Greater Flexibility in the Appearance of Distributors' Names in Labeling
FDA04	Eliminate Outdated Requirements for Insulin and Antibiotics and Allow a Private Body to Establish Testing and Quality Standards
FDA05	Exclude Drug and Biologic Manufacturers From Most Environmental Assessment Requirements
FDA06	Exempt Additional Categories of Low-Risk Medical Devices From Premarket Review
FDA07	Ensure That Market Clearances of Devices Will Not Be Withheld Unless FDA Finds a Reasonable Relationship Between Current Violations and Applications Under Review
FDA08	Develop a Pilot Program for Third-Party Review of Low-Risk Medical Devices
FDA09	Speed Marketing of Medical Devices by Seeking Authority to Charge Industry User Fees to Defray the Costs of Review
FDA10	Expand Opportunities to Export Drugs and Medical Devices
FDA11	Clarify How FDA Determines the Effectiveness of New Drugs and Devices and That a Single, Multicenter Study May Support Drug Approval
FDA12	Harmonize FDA Testing Requirements With Those of Other Countries to Expedite Worldwide Marketing
FDA13	Expand and Standardize the Use of Information Technologies for Reviewing New Products and Expediting Import Entries

Reinventing Environmental Regulations

Released March 17, 1995. For plan copies, contact EPA's Reinvention Team at (202) 260-7669.

Principles for Regulatory Reform

1. Protect national goals for public health and the environment and compel individuals, businesses, and
government to take responsibility for the impact of their actions.

2. Design regulations to achieve environmental goals that minimize costs to individuals, businesses, and
other levels of government.

3. Base environmental regulations on performance, providing maximum flexibility in the means of
achieving environmental goals, but requiring accountability for the results.

4. Prevent pollution rather than just control or clean it up.

5. Use market incentives to achieve environmental goals whenever appropriate.

6. Base environmental regulation on the best science and economics, subject to expert and public scrutiny.

7. Revise government regulations so they can be understood by those affected by them.

8. Foster collaborative-not adversarial-decisionmaking, and compel decisionmakers to inform and involve
those who must live with the decisions.

9. Unite federal, state, tribal, and local governments to work together to achieve common environmental
goals, with nonfederal partners taking the lead when appropriate.

10.Protect every citizen from unjust or disproportionate environmental impacts.

Recommendations

ENVR01	Establish Open-Market Air Emissions Trading as an Alternative Tool For Reaching Air Quality Goals
ENVR02	Establish Effluent Trading as an Alternative Tool for Achieving Water Quality Standards
ENVR03	Refocus Resource Conservation and Recovery Act on High-Risk Wastes
ENVR04	Refocus Drinking Water Treatment Requirements on Highest Health Risks
ENVR05	Expand Use of Risk Assessment in Local Communities
ENVR06	Provide Flexible Funding Mechanisms for States and Tribes
ENVR07	Develop Competitive Sustainable Development Challenge Grants
ENVR08	Expand Regulatory Negotiation and Consensus-Based Rulemaking
ENVR09	Reduce Paperwork by 25 Percent
ENVR10	Create "One-Stop" Emission Reports
ENVR11	Consolidate Federal Air Rules ("One Industry-One Rule")
ENVR12	Create a Risk-Based Enforcement Plan
ENVR13	Provide Compliance Incentives for Small Businesses and Communities
ENVR14	Establish Small Business Compliance Assistance Centers
ENVR15	Provide Incentives for Auditing, Disclosure, and Correction
ENVR16	Develop Self-Certification Programs to Reduce Reporting Burdens
ENVR17	Expand Public Electronic Access to Information
ENVR18	Establish a Center for Environmental Information and Statistics
ENVR19	Develop a Program to Give Responsible Companies the Flexibility to Develop and Test Alternative Strategies to Promote Compliance Beyond Current Requirements (Project XL)
ENVR20	Develop Alternative Strategies for Sectors to Achieve Cost-Effective Results Through Comprehensive Environmental Management Strategies
ENVR21	Conduct Pilot Projects of Community-Driven Strategies to Integrate Environmental Quality and Economic Development
ENVR22	Work With Other Federal Agencies to Demonstrate Alternative Environmental Management Strategies at Federal Facilities
ENVR23	Test Standards for Compliance Oversight Using Third-Party Audits
ENVR24	Pilot Multimedia "One-Stop" Permitting
ENVR25	Develop Design for Environment Awards for the Chemical Industry

Reinventing Food Safety Regulations

Release date: Fall 1995. For plan copies, contact Judy Riggins, (202) 720-7025.

Principles for Regulatory Reform

1. Provide consumers with safe foods and the knowledge to make informed choices in the
marketplace.

2. Shift from command-and-control requirements to performance standards.

3. Adopt a common framework and approach to food safety by partnering FDA and the Food Safety
and Inspection Service (FSIS) to achieve common goals.

4. Incorporate into FDA and FSIS programs a science-based system of preventive controls for food
safety-the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points System.

5. Eliminate unnecessary burdens and requirements in food safety regulations.

Recommendations

FOOD01	Implement FSIS Science-Based Performance Standards for Meat and Poultry Plants
FOOD02	Amend FSIS Current Cooking Regulations to Incorporate Performance Standards and Flexibility
FOOD03	Eliminate FSIS's Prior Approval System for Substances Added to Meat and Poultry, for Facility Blueprints and Processing Equipment, and for Most Quality Control Plans
FOOD04	Streamline the Prior Approval System for Meat and Poultry Labels
FOOD05	Review and Revise All Remaining FSIS Prior Approval Regulations
FOOD06	Eliminate Redundant or Unnecessary Rules and Convert the Remaining Rules to Performance Standards Rather Than to Command and Control Standards
FOOD07	Amend Existing Standards to Allow Greater Flexibility and Innovation in Meat and Poultry Marketing
FOOD08	Identify Categories of Standards for Possible Elimination and Seek Comment on Reform or Elimination of the Standards Identity System
FOOD09	Restructure FSIS Meat and Poultry Inspection Regulations to Eliminate Unnecessary or Duplicative Requirements
FOOD10	Implement Performance Standards for Food Handling
FOOD11	Reform the Food Additive Petition Review Process by Establishing Performance Goals
FOOD12	Establish a Streamlined Process for Companies to Notify FDA of Their Independent Determination of Food Additives Generally Regarded as Safe
FOOD13	Promote Innovation and Efficiency by Adopting Alternatives or Eliminating Food Standards of Identity
FOOD14	Harmonize Requirements With International Partners to Facilitate Trade
FOOD15	Develop Pilot Programs to Enhance the Use of Private and State or Local Labs for Analyzing Food Imports
FOOD16	Reduce the Burden on Industry Compliance With Certain Environmental Assessments
FOOD17	Replace the Current System of Medicated Animal Feed Applications With a Licensing System for Facilities With Good Manufacturing Processes
FOOD18	Relax Restrictions on Animal Drug Exports

Reinventing Health Care Regulations

Released July 11, 1995. For plan copies, contact Victor Zonana, (202) 690-6343.

Principles for Regulatory Reform

1. Communicate rather than dictate-use consultation to ascertain how to best serve the customer.

2. Educate customers by developing effective educational techniques and disseminating information
about how programs operate, rather than inundating them with information that is difficult to
understand and that does not relate to their needs.

3. Innovate more than regulate. Rely on innovation in program operation and administration more
than on regulation to improve customer service capabilities.

Recommendations

HEAL01	Eliminate the Physician Attestation Form
HEAL02	Reduce Burden and Improve the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments by Rewarding Good Performance, Creating Incentives for Development of More Reliable Testing, Allowing Third-Party Accreditation of Labs, and Using Proficiency Testing to Monitor Lab Performance
HEAL03	Change Current Regulations That Focus Solely on Measuring Processes Requirements to Focus on Outcomes of Care
HEAL04	Require Federal Employee Health Benefit Plan Carriers to Use the HCFA-1500 Form (Currently Used in Medicare) for Claims to Reduce the Number of Forms
HEAL05	Eliminate Redundant Assessments of Mentally Ill and Mentally Retarded Nursing Home Residents
HEAL06	Permit States to Approve Nurse Aide Training and Competency Evaluation Programs Offered in Nursing Homes

Reinventing Worker Safety and Health Regulations: The New OSHA

Released May 16, 1995. For plan copies, contact Ann Cyr, (202) 219-8151.

Principles for Regulatory Reform

1. Save lives, prevent workplace injuries and illnesses, and protect the health of all America's
workers.

2. Seek and expect implementation of hazard control strategies based upon primary prevention
whenever possible.

3. Initiate strategic, public-private partnerships to identify and encourage the spread of industry best
practices to solve national problems.

4. Promote employer commitment and meaningful employee participation and involvement in safety
and health programs.

5. Make all safety and health services, resources, rules, and information readily accessible and
understandable to employees, employers, and OSHA staff.

6. Be a performance-oriented, data-driven organization that seeks results rather than activity and
process emphasis. OSHA's programs must be judged on their success at eliminating hazards and
reducing injuries and illnesses.

Recommendations

OSHA01	Nationally Expand the "Maine 200" Concept of Partnering With Employers With the Most Workplace Injuries and Illnesses to Develop Effective Safety Programs
OSHA02	Conduct Focused Inspections for Employers With Strong and Effective Safety and Health Programs
OSHA03	Create Incentives for Employers With Safety and Health Programs
OSHA04	Promote Employee Participation in Safety and Health Efforts
OSHA05	Work With Stakeholders to Identify the Leading Causes of Workplace Injury and Illness to Develop a Priority Planning Process
OSHA06	Focus on Key Building Block Rules and Eliminate or Fix Confusing and Out-of-Date Standards
OSHA07	Request the Establishment of a Working Group on Hazard Communication and the Right to Know
OSHA08	Use Alternative Approaches to Address Public Concerns About Ergonomically Related Hazards in the Workplace
OSHA09	Establish Involvement in Industry Sectors With Emerging Safety and Health Needs
OSHA10	Reengineer the Structure and Operation of Field Offices to Better Serve Customers
OSHA11	Strengthen OSHA's Partnership With State Programs
OSHA12	Expand Incentives for Correcting Hazards Quickly
OSHA13	Improve OSHA's Inspection Targeting Systems
OSHA14	Provide Safety and Health Information to the Public Electronically
OSHA15	Develop a Performance Measurement System That Focuses on Results

Reinventing Pension Regulations

Released June 11, 1995. For plan copies, contact Alan Lebowitz, (202) 219-9048.

Principles for Regulatory Reform

1. Simplify both the content and means of interacting with the federal government.

2. Focus on the best interests of pension beneficiaries and outcomes of a pension plan rather than on
Techanical rules and processes.

3. Reduce the paperwork burden on employers to send duplicate notices or notices of plan changes
that don't affect their employees.

4. Simplify the process for the smallest employers.

5. Provide family businesses with benefits equal to those for other businesses.

6. Simplify and streamline the application process.

7. Expand opportunities for pension coverage for employees of tax-exempt organizations.

8. Ensure that all participants in pension plans get the benefits they have earned.

9. Reduce the paperwork filed for each plan.

10. Exempt defined contribution plans from minimum participation rules.

Recommendations

PENS01	Create a Simple Retirement Savings Plan for Small Employers-the National Employee Savings Trust (NEST)
PENS02	Eliminate the Family Aggregation Rule Requiring Certain Highly Compensated Employees and Their Families to Be Treated as Single Employees
PENS03	Eliminate the Special Restrictions on Plans Maaintained by Self-Employed Individuals
PENS04	Simplify Substantial Owner Rules Relating to Plan Terminations
PENS05	Provide Design-Based Nondiscrimination Safe Harbors That Would Give Employers the Option of Avoiding Testing of Contributions
PENS06	Facilitate Testing by Using Prior Year Data Rather than Ongoing Testing or Post-Year-End Corrections
PENS07	Improve Fairness in Correcting Distribution Rules
PENS08	Permit Tax-Exempt Organizations to Maintain 401(k) Pension Plans
PENS09	Standardize Distribution Rules for All 401(k) Pension Plans
PENS10	Eliminate Excessive Testing by Simplifying the Definition of a Highly Compensated Employee
PENS11	Exempt Defined Contribution Plans From the Requirement That at Least 50 Employees, or 40 Percent of All Employees in Smaller Companies, Be Covered
PENS12	Eliminate the Special Vesting Schedule for Multi-Employer Plans
PENS13	Allow Multi-Employer Plans to Return to Triennial, Rather than Annual, Actuarial Evaluations
PENS14	Eliminate Partial Termination Rules for Multi-Employer Plans
PENS15	Eliminate the Combined Plan Limit on Contributions and Benefits (Section 415(e))
PENS16	Exempt Government and Multi-Employer Plans From Certain Benefit and Contribution Limits
PENS17	Allow Tax-Exempt Organizations to Provide Excess Benefit Plans
PENS18	Repeal the 150-Percent Limitation on Deductible Contributions for Multi-Employer Plans
PENS19	Eliminate the Rule Requiring Employer Plans to Begin Minimum Distribution Before Retirement
PENS20	Simplify Taxation of Annuity Distributions
PENS21	Simplify Prohibited Transaction Exemption Procedures
PENS22	Simplify Prohibited Exemption Procedures for Plans With Participant-Directed Accounts (404(c) Plans)
PENS23	Streamline ERISA Annual Report (form 5500 series)
PENS24	Establish Uniform Penalties for Failure to Provide Information Reports
PENS25	Stop Requiring Employers to Provide Advance Notification of Benefit Reductions to Employees Who Are Not Affected by the Reduction
PENS26	Eliminate Mandatory Filing of Summary Plan Descriptions With the Department Of Labor and Authorize DOL to Obtain Descriptions From Plan Administrators

Reinventing Service Regulations to Small Businesses: The New Small Business Administration

Released June 12, 1995. For plan copies, contact Ron Matzner, (202) 205-6642.

Principles for Regulatory Reform

1. Promote better access to capital for small business owners.

2. Provide valuable small business education and training services.

3. Use government resources efficiently and cost-effectively.

4. Work closely with the private sector to support and assist the small business community.

5. Reduce paperwork burdens on small businesses and streamline regulations as much as possible.

6. Serve as an advocate for regulatory reform so that regulations clearly state the rights and
responsibilities of small business owners and the federal government.

7. Work to ensure that affected small businesses are included at every important step in the regulatory
development process.

8. Improve communications between the federal government and affected small businesses to ensure
that regulations are understood and followed.

9. Promote voluntary small business compliance with regulations through flexible enforcement
procedures.

10. Ensure access to government business, economic, and regulatory information by using
state-of-the-art information technologies.

Recommendations and Accomplishments

SmBus01	Introduced a One-Page SBA Application and Rapid-Response, Low-Documentation Loan Program
SmBus02	Implemented a Pilot Program to Allow Selected Lenders to Use Their Own Forms, Documentation, and Procedures for Certain Loan Types (FA$TRAK Program)
SmBus03	Repealed the Opinion-Molder Rule Barring Loan Assistance to Media-Related Small Business Concerns
SmBus04	Streamlined the 504 Loan Process From Authorization to Closing, Establishing the Accredited Lenders Program and Premier Certified Lender Program
SmBus05	Implemented a Pilot Program to Increase the Number of Loans Made to Women Business Owners by Helping Them Prequalify for SBA Loan Guarantees
SmBus06	Instituted a Pilot Program to Help Small Businesses Obtain Financing for Export Purposes by Streamlining Procedures and Offering a Higher Guarantee Percentage
SmBus07	Revised Small Business Investment Company Regulations; Strengthened Oversight, Screening, and Credit Review; and Created a Class of Larger, Better Capitalized Small Business Investment Companies
SmBus08	Nationally Implemented an Enhanced Revolving Line of Credit Program for Small Businesses (CAPlines)
SmBus09	Permitted SBA Lenders and Development Companies to Use Computer-Generated Copies of SBA Forms
SmBus10	Increased Customer Access to SBA Loan Programs While Reducing the Cost to Taxpayers
SmBus11	Developed, in Cooperation With Other Agencies, a "One-Stop" Electronic Center for Small Businesses to Access Business, Economic, and Regulatory Information
SmBus12	Expanded the Business Information Centers to Provide Better Access for Small Businesses to State-of-the-Art Technologies and Information Sources
SmBus13	Streamlined Cosponsorship Program Operations and Reduced the Paperwork Burden for SBA's Private Sector Partners
SmBus14	Pursued Legislation to Streamline Administration of the Small Business Development Centers, to Reduce Costs and to Consolidate Training Programs
SmBus15	Clarified and Streamlined SBA Regulations to Revise or Eliminate Any Duplicate, Outdated, Inconsistent, or Confusing Provisions
SmBus16	Use Discretionary Enforcement Authority to Modify or Waive Penalties in Specific Instances
SmBus17	Reduce the Paperwork Burden on Small Businesses
SmBus18	Simplified the Disaster Loan Assistance Program by Reducing Filing Requirements