{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2026/7/sen-rick-scott-rep-ben-cline-push-to-end-overregulation-and-cut-red-tape-for-small-businesses", "Sen. Rick Scott, Rep. Ben Cline Push to End Overregulation and Cut Red Tape for Small Businesses", "2026-07-31", "2026", "2026-07", "Republican", "Senate", "FL", "Rick Scott", "S001217", "www.rickscott.senate.gov", "rickscott", "https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/press-releases/", "page_html", "WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, U.S. Senator Rick Scott announced the introduction of the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act to make it easier for Americans to open small businesses.\n\nRegulations cost the U.S. economy more than $2 trillion annually, and they especially hurt small businesses.\n\nThe Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act helps American entrepreneurs by forcing regulatory agencies to examine the true costs of every rule, regulation, or requirement. The bill improves the federal rulemaking by requiring designated agencies to assess the economic impact of a proposed regulation on small businesses and requires detailed descriptions of alternatives to a proposed rule with significant economic impact that would minimize any adverse economic impact or maximize any beneficial economic impact.\n\nSenator Rick Scott said, \u201cA cornerstone of the American dream is the entrepreneurial spirit, but more and more small businesses are giving up because of overregulation and red tape. When I opened my first business, my donut shop only needed a handful of permits. Now, self-absorbed bureaucrats are piling on hundreds of regulations without thinking of the consequences for individual businesses and the U.S. economy. It\u2019s our job to ensure hardworking people can live out the American Dream without the government getting in the way. I\u2019m proud to partner with Rep. Cline to stop these agencies from overregulating and discouraging entrepreneurship.\u201d\n\nThis bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) in the House of Representatives in January 2025 and passed out of the House Judiciary Committee in June 2025.\n\nRepresentative Ben Cline said, \u201cSmall businesses across the Nation are at a disadvantage when complying with overly burdensome federal regulation. Facing insurmountable compliance costs, potential entrepreneurs all too often choose never to open their small businesses in the first place. Thank you, Senator Scott, for joining me in introducing the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, an important piece of legislation that will help American small businesses cut through the overwhelming weight of federal regulation.\u201d\n\nKey Provisions of the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act:\n\nBroader economic analysis: Requires agencies to assess both direct and reasonably foreseeable indirect economic effects (e.g., compliance costs, revenue impact).\n\nAlternatives and benefits: Agencies must describe alternative rule options that either minimize adverse impacts or maximize benefits to small entities.\n\nExpanded applicability: Applies the RFA to more types of actions, including revisions to land management plans and interpretive rules.\n\nRemove waiver authority: Agencies can no longer skip the Regulatory Flexibility Act\u2019s flexibility analysis; they also need to follow procedures set by SBA\u2019s Chief Counsel.\n\nTransparency & accountability:\n\nRequires publications of detailed analyses, numeric or explain-why-not quantification.\n\nMandates posting final regulatory flexibility analyses online.\n\nIncreases avenues for public comment and judicial review.\n\n###", 1, "2026-08-01T07:27:26Z", "2026-08-01T07:28:22Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://www.rickscott.senate.gov/2026/7/sen-rick-scott-rep-ben-cline-push-to-end-overregulation-and-cut-red-tape-for-small-businesses"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.781189115718007, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}