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1252792
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4/8/76 - Opening Statement at Meeting with Regulatory Commissions
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1252792
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document
title
4/8/76 - Opening Statement at Meeting with Regulatory Commissions
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President's Speeches and Statements Reading Copies (Ford Administration)
Reading Copies of Presidential Speeches and Statements
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Speeches, addresses, etc.
Government regulation
Regulatory reform
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1252792
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8
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1976-04-08
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4
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1976
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8
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1976-04-08
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4
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1976
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The original documents are located in Box 28, "4/8/76 - Opening Statement at Meeting with
Regulatory Commissions" of the President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at
the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Digitized from Box 28 of President's Speeches and Statements: Reading Copies at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
THE PRESIDENT HAS SEEN ---
PRESIDENT'S OPENING STATEMENT AT MEETING
WITH THE REGULATORY COMMISSIONERS
4/8/76
-1-
GOOD AFTERNOON
IT IS A PLEASURE TO
HAVE YOU HERE TO FOLLOW UP ON OUR MEETING LAST JULY
THIS CONTINUING DIALOGUE ON REGULATORY REFORM IS
IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US IN GOVERNMENT -- AND TO
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
-2-
LET ME THANK YOU ALL FOR THE PROGRESS
REPORTS THAT I RECEIVED
THEY WERE USEFUL TO ME
AND MY STAFF IN REVIEWING THE SUCCESSES YOU ARE
HAVING IN IMPROVING YOUR REGULATORY ACTIVITIES
is
TODAY, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO DISCUSSING
OUR COMMON PROBLEMS AND OUR JOINT DUTY TO SEE THAT
WE HAVE A RESPONS IVE AND EFFICIENT REGULATORY SYSTEM
SPECIFICALLY, LET'S TAKE A HARD LOOK AT HOW REGULATIONS
AFFECT THE CONSUMER, SMALL BUSINESSMEN, AND THE
TAXPAYER
-4-
CONSUMERS ARE CONCERNED WITH THE COSTS OF
REGULATION
THEY FEEL A FRUSTRATION BOTH WITH THE
PROCESS AND THE RESULTS
MANY ARE CONVINVED
THAT THE COSTS ARE NOT JUSTIFIED AND THAT THE PUBLIC
INTEREST IS NOT BEING PROTECTED
-5-
SMALL BUSINESSMEN ARE TIRED OF THE
OVERWHELMING NUMBER OF REGULATIONS THAT ARE INSENSITIVE
TO SMALL BUSINESS NEEDS AND THAT MAKE IT INCREAS INGLY
DIFFICULT FOR SMALL BUSINESSMEN TO SURVIVE
-6-
THE REGULATORY PROBLEMS OF SMALL
BUSINESSMEN COME UP OFTEN IN MY DISCUSSIONS WITH
OUR CITIZENS
I HEAR ABOUT THE LARGE NUMBER OF
GOVERNMENT FORMS THEY HAVE TO FILL OUT EVERY YEAR
-7-
I HEAR ABOUT NEW PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THAT SMALL
BUSINESSMEN WANT TO OFFER BUT CAN'T BECAUSE OF
UNNECESSARILY RESTRICTIVE REGULATIONS
I HEAR OF ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITIES THAT DEFY COMMON
SENSE
-8-
FINALLY, TAXPAYERS ARE QUESTIONING THE
PRACTICE OF ADD ING MORE MONEY AND MORE PEOPLE TO
GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACIES TO SOLVE PROBLEMS
THE
TAXPAYERS OF THIS NATION ARE CONCERNED ABOUT BIG
GOVERNMENT
-9-
THEY QUESTION HAVING TO PAY FOR A GOVERNMENT THAT DOESN'T
RECOGNIZE CHANGE, THAT DOESN'T THINK OF NEW, LESS COSTLY
WAYS TO ACHIEVE PUBLIC GOALS
THEY EXPECT THEIR
GOVERNMENT LEADERS TO BE DILIGENT IN LOOKING FOR BETTER
MORE EFFICIENT WAYS TO CONDUCT THE AFFAIRS OF GOVERNMENT
-10-
ALL OF US AT THIS MEETING HAVE A SPECIAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR GUARDING THE PUBLIC INTEREST
IT IS
OUR OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THE PUBLIC A REASONABLE FAIR
SPEEDY AND UNDERSTANDABLE REGULATORY SYSTEM
YOU HAVE
MADE PROGRESS TOWARD THIS GOAL IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS AND
YOUR EFFORTS ARE ENCOURAGING.
-II-
BUT WE NEED TO CONTINUE OUR WORK
WHEN I MET WITH A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF
CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES LAST JUNE THERE WAS BROAD
AGREEMENT ON FOUR AREAS OF COMMON CONCERN:
-12-
- WE MUST EXAMINE OUR REGULATORY PRACTICES
IN LIGHT OF TODAY'S ECONOMIC NEEDS;
- COMPETITION SHOULD BE RELIED UPON WHENEVER
POSSIBLE;
- MANY REGULATIONS COST THE COUNTRY MORE
THAN THEY RETURN IN BENEFITS; AND
-13-
- THE REGULATORY PROCESS SHOULD SERVE THE
GENERAL PUBLIC -- NOT SIMPLY BENEFIT SPECIAL INTERESTS
CLEARLY, OUR JOB IS TO SHOW MEASURABLE
RESULTS IN ADDRESSING THESE CONCERNS
CONGRESS HAS
INDICATED THAT IT IS LOOKING FOR RESULTS
-14-
MORE AND MORE, CONGRESS IS CONSIDERING LEGISLATION TO
ADDRESS REGULATORY PROBLEMS
THE REFORM OF GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS IS A
RESPONSIBILITY SHARED BY THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH, THE
CONGRESS, AND THE INDEPENDENT COMMISSIONS.
-15-
OUR JOINT EFFORT TO ELIMINATE OUTDATED, INEFFICIENT
REGULATIONS AND TO IMPROVE ESSENTIAL REGULATORY FUNCTIONS
IS THE BEST WAY WE CAN FULFILL OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO THE
PUBLIC
-16-
AS WE DISCUSS REGULATORY LAG, WE NEED TO
MAKE SURE WE ADDRESS THE REORDERING OF PRIORITIES AND
THE NEW APPROACHES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN TO COPE WITH
BACKLOGS AND DELAYS
-17-
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT CONSUMER REPRESENTATION, WE MUST
GO BEYOND JUST GIVING THE CONSUMER A CHANGE TO
PARTICIPATE IN PROCEEDINGS
-18-
WE MUST CONSIDER HOW WELL AGENCY RULES AND REGULATIONS
ARE COMMUNICATED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND HOW WELL
CONSUMERS' INTERESTS ARE BALANCED AGAINST OTHER
POINTS OF VIEW
-19-
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COST/BENEFIT ANALYSIS
LET'S IDENTIFY HOW WELL IT IS BEING APPLIED TO AGENCY
DECISIONS AS WELL AS TO INTERNAL AGENCY MANAGEMENT
CONCERNS
-20-
AND WHEN WE TURN TO THE IMPORTANCE OF INCREASING
COMPETITION, LET'S ASK WHETHER WE ARE CONCENTRATING ON
MARGINAL CHANGES OR WHETHER WE ARE ADDRESSING THE
FUNDAMENTAL QUESTION OF WHETHER OR NOT THE REGULATION
IS STILL NECESSARY
-21-
NOW I WOULD LIKE TO TURN THE DISCUSSION
OVER TO ED AND PAUL
ED, WOULD YOU LIKE TO BEGIN?
END OF TEXT