Making government responsive - Building the American Future - Cover Story

Nation's Business, March, 1992 by Albert G. Holzinger

Federal Budget Process

Despite recent tax increases and alleged commitments to spending restraint, this will be the 12th consecutive year of federal red ink, with no end in sight.

This year's National Business Agenda calls for an all-out, grass-roots effort to add balanced-budget and line-item-veto amendments to the Constitution.

A balanced-budget amendment would also help limit tax increases.

A line-item-veto amendment would allow the president to cut waste by vetoing wasteful items in massive spending measures that he must now accept or reject in their entirety.

The agenda also seeks legislative reform of accounting procedures that help mask the true status of federal finances.

Federal Government Contracting

Each year thousands of businesses sell the federal government over $300 billion in services and products, ranging from food and furniture to guns and submarines.

Government could get a lot more for its money, and many more firms could sell products and services to the federal government, if it were not for the highly inefficient and needlessly complex nature of government procurement.

The National Business Agenda calls for appointment of a multi-industry task force and a supporting grassroots network to secure enactment of legislative and regulatory contracting-process reforms, including increased purchasing of "off-the-shelf" commercial products.

Government Process

Through a series of discrete and gradual operational changes over the years, Congress and much of the executive branch have set themselves apart from public accountability. At the same time, government has effectively exempted itself from many of the laws and regulations that it imposes on business.

Term limitations have emerged as a popular option. Thus, the U.S. Chamber is studying term limits and other proposed reforms in the election process and congressional operations. These proposals are aimed at reducing the advantages of incumbents; simplifying the political process; increasing government efficiency, accountability, and responsiveness to the community; increasing the likelihood of policies for promoting steady economic growth; and decreasing the probability that burdensome laws would be enacted by Congress.

Litigation And Product Liability

Manufacturers and distributors of products are more and more the targets of lawsuits stemming from almost any kind of perceived injury. The costs of this litigation are reflected in higher prices for America-made goods and services.

The National Business AGenda seeks to unite business and other organizations to settle on, propose, and achieve solutions to the nation's class-action, product-liability, and other litigation-related problems.

Paperwork Reduction

According to the Office of Management and Budget, federal paperwork requirements have increased 17 percent just since 1989, and this paperwork now costs Americans up to $300 billion annually.

The National Business Agenda calls on Congress to enact paperwork-reduction legislation. Among the measure's provisions are those that would establish a goal of reducing paperwork throughout the federal government by at least 5 percent a year; overturn a Supreme Court ruling that prevents more-widespread implementation of the Paperwork Reduction Act; and require lawmakers to assess the paperwork implications of all new legislation.

Uniformity Of Law

Conflicting state and local laws and regulations that affect areas also regulated by the federal government are becoming a nightmare for many growing businesses.

The National Business Agenda envisions establishing the U.S. Chamber as an information clearinghouse for local and state chambers of commerce, businesses, and other interested organizations.

The agenda also calls for identification of areas in which conflicting laws and regulations pose the greatest obstacles to business. It seeks development of a strategy for correcting these problems through federal pre-emption of state laws and other means, including development of model state codes.

Voter Registration

Congress continues to enact policies that harm business and the U.S. economy. Yet a substantial proportion of business people do not vote and do not encourage others to do so.

The National Business Agenda calls for vigorous efforts to get business people to the pools in support of pro-business candidates in the November elections.

This effort, which is being carried out in conjunction with Vote America, a non-profit, nonpartisan organization based in Washington, D.C., centers primarily on distribution of materials that businesses and organizations can use to register new voters, encourage voting, and arrange for absentee voting. (For more on this program, see "Getting Out The Business Vote," on Page 27.)