Searching for and Cutting Regulations That Are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Mr. Chairman, this is one of those occasions in which we walk up to the mike, and we always say it is a simple amendment. This one really is a simple amendment. Many of us here, particularly myself, have a fixation on information and technology as a dramatically more efficient, safe, and healthy way to regulate. So, if you are going to have a commission looking at agencies, looking at the levels of regulations, looking at the mechanics out there, can it also take a look and make sure it has adopted the most technically appropriate and efficient technology for that regulation?

A couple of years ago, when sitting on the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, a division of the EPA and these businesses came in, and they brought in stacks of paper that they had to fill out and fax in. Okay. It is absurd in today's world, but that is the way the regs they were up against were written. If you are going to have a commission looking at what is wrong out there, at what can be made more efficient, and at what is inappropriately burdensome, let's also take a look and ask: What can actually be made less burdensome through the use of technology?

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Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Mr. Chairman, may I quickly inquire as to the time remaining.

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Mr. SCHWEIKERT. Mr. Chairman, let's try something that is, actually, fairly novel around here because, in this particular case, this is just a few words. Let's actually read it: ``Whether or not the rule or set of rules limits or prevents an agency from applying new or emerging technologies to improve efficiency and effectiveness of government.''

Oh, come on. How do you oppose that? I understand you may not like the bill, itself, but as an amendment, if we are really trying to push our government into this century of utilization of information and technology, you would at least like this amendment.

Look, this is simple. This is actually something we should be weaving in and out of what we do here in order to try to drive the use of technology and information to make us more efficient and more respectful of our taxpayers. As to the quality of information, how do you even know that the way a regulation is being done is actually being done in the most efficient, technologically sound, and rational way? I believe the simple language here helps drive the commission to actually reflect that.

Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

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