U.S. Rep. Jason Smith, R-Mo., believes the federal government has too many, burdensome regulations.

Smith has convinced a majority of his colleagues in the House something needs to be done about all those regulations.

The House last week approved Smith's bill, the SCRUB Act, on a vote of 245-174. SCRUB stands for a much longer title: "Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome."

Smith said Monday the legislation is aimed at "scrubbing" the maze of federal regulations that are outdated, unnecessary, costly, duplicative and conflict with those at the state or local level.

"It is the first major piece of legislation to pass out of the House this year," he said.

It's uncertain whether the Senate will approve it or that President Obama would sign it, but Smith said he believes this legislation offers an opportunity to cut back on federal regulations.

Smith's bill would establish a nine-member bipartisan commission to identify existing regulations that should be repealed over the next 5 1/2 years. The goal: a 15 percent reduction in the cumulative cost of current federal regulations without significantly reducing effectiveness.

Under the legislation, the commission would focus on major rules and regulations that are more than 15 years old, impose paperwork burdens that can be substantially reduced, impose disproportionately high costs on small businesses, or can be strengthened while reducing costs.

The commission, whose chairman would be appointed by the president, would make recommendations to Congress, which could approve the elimination of those regulations by joint resolution.

Smith said the code of federal regulations runs more than 175,000 pages, spread over 235 volumes.

"Across south central and Southeast Missouri that number weighs heavy on the backs of small businesses, farmers and families," he said.

Federal regulations on coal-fired plant emissions alone would send utility bills skyrocketing in the 8th Congressional District that is home to three such plants, he said.

The Environmental Protection Agency "doesn't need to regulate every drainage ditch, farm, wood stove or even the beautiful clean air of the Mark Twain National Forest," Smith said.

Over-regulation leads companies to close plants and move jobs to Mexico, he said.

Outdated and often-conflicting regulations impose an estimated $1.86 trillion annual burden on taxpayers, he said.

"That's a cost of roughly $15,000 for every household," Smith said, adding, "the insanity of the Washington regulatory machine needs to stop."

The Republican lawmaker expressed optimism the Senate also will approve the legislation, noting Sen. Orrin Hatch -- a longtime member of the branch -- champions the measure.

If that happened, it would be up to President Obama to decide whether to sign the legislation.

"I would never want to predict the actions of this president," Smith said.

mbliss@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3641