Sunset Proposals: Can They Reform the Bureaucracy?

Publication Date: October 1977

Publisher: Heritage Foundation (Washington, D.C.)

Author(s): Thomas R. Ascik

Research Area: Banking and finance; Government

Keywords: Government reform

Type: Report

Abstract:

Politicians are well aware of the rising citizen impatience with the almost exponential growth in the size and cost of the federal government. As Senator William Roth has stated, "One clear mandate from the 1976 election is to streamline the federal bureaucracy and reform poor planning, excessive paperwork, administrative overlap, and program duplication in government." This paper provides detailed analyses of the sunset act, S2, and the major regulatory reform bills now pending in the Senate. All of them had wide bipartisan support when introduced, but enthusiasm for the bills has waned as many questions have arisen over their merits.