Commerce Dept. Seeks Feedback on Regulatory Burdens from Manufacturers

President Trump’s campaign promise to strengthen the American manufacturing industry is beginning to take shape just two months into his presidency. While the process will not happen overnight, it must begin somewhere. To that end, The Department of Commerce is asking for firsthand information about improving the Federal regulatory environment and permitting requirements for domestic manufacturers. 

Within days of his inauguration, the president signed various executive orders with the goal of easing regulatory burdens on American manufacturers and, by proxy, rebuilding this segment of the national economy that has been “hollowed out” in recent decades. Newly-confirmed Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, has been instructed to engage with stakeholders regarding the impact of these federal regulations. 

To collect usable data from this engagement, the Department of Commerce has implemented a Request for Information (RFI) survey period that will end at 5 PM EDT on Monday, March 31, 2017. Via this survey, manufacturers may submit their thoughts on the following topics:

1. The impact of Federal permitting requirements on the construction and expansion of domestic manufacturing facilities
2. Existing regulations that adversely impact domestic manufacturers

While this is a standard process, the RFI provides an opportunity for American manufacturers to influence the administration's regulatory agenda. Any manufacturer registered under the 2017 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code  “31-33: Manufacturing” may submit a comment by mail or online. 

The easiest way to participate in the RFI is via these simple steps:

1. Visit http://www.regulations.gov
2. In the search bar on the top right side of the page, enter “DOC-2017-0001”
3. From the RFI home page, click the “Comment Now” button
4. Complete the form with your own comments and submit to the Department of Commerce 

Responses to this RFI will inform the report of the Secretary of Commerce to the President, which will aid in drafting a plan to create a more promising business and regulatory environment for domestic manufacturers.