Washington, D.C. – The State of Idaho’s extraordinary success in cutting red tape since Governor Brad Little took office is setting the example for new efforts to streamline regulations at the federal level.

U.S. Senator Jim Risch announced today he introduced the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act to limit federal overreach and reduce federal spending. The bill requires agencies to repeal two existing regulations for each new significant regulation issued. The ‘one-in, two-out’ method codifies a 2017 Trump-era executive order to weed out old, unnecessary, and inefficient regulations. Agencies will be required to initiate simpler, cost-saving regulations which will benefit the federal government, small businesses, and American taxpayers.

“In Idaho, we’ve taken an axe to state regulations for three straight years. We’ve cut or simplified 95-percent of red tape, and we’re not done yet. We’ve seen the results first-hand: when you remove regulatory friction, good jobs follow. Idaho’s economy outpaces every other state in the nation. I applaud Senator Risch for bringing the Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act to rein in the Biden administration’s penchant for adding regulations that amount to little more than rocks in the shoes of small businesses. Washington, D.C., could learn a thing or two from Idaho, and this Act will help create jobs and save taxpayer dollars,” Governor Little said.

“Idaho has been on the leading edge of cutting red tape, but federal spending and regulations continue to have far-reaching effects on Idaho small businesses and taxpayers,” Senator Risch said. “The federal government should follow Idaho’s lead in reducing costly and burdensome regulations with this effective one-in, two-out rule.”

“Idaho’s recent deregulation efforts have strengthened its position as a magnet for ingenuity, growth and free enterprise,” co-sponsor Senator Mike Crapo said. “The federal government should follow suit, take a hard look at its laundry list of regulations and get rid of those that are mere power grabs that drown American innovation in paperwork and inefficiency. We must continue to do more to stop federal control from creeping into more aspects of our lives.”

Idaho is the least regulated state in the country. In one of his first acts in office, Governor Brad Little spearheaded the Red Tape Reduction Act, which required state agencies to simplify or repeal two existing rules for each new rule proposed. Cutting red tape has been key to Idaho’s success, and it is past time the federal government follows Idaho’s lead.

More information on Idaho’s success in cutting red tape is available at https://gov.idaho.gov/cutting-red-tape/.

# # #