Federal agencies annually heap hundreds of additional rules on Americans with little regard for their benefits or costs, according to a new report by economists and analysts of the House Commerce Committee:

• Though hidden and off-budget, federal mandates cost the economy about $600 billion annually -- over a third of the fiscal budget and five times greater than the projected deficit in 1997.

• None of the 13 federal agencies surveyed for the report had a system to determine the cost impact or benefit of their regulations -- they didn't even ask these types of questions.

According to the report, recent regulations blindly issued include:

• Air pollution control rules costing tens of billions for questionable benefits.

• Unilaterally imposed new labeling restrictions on restaurant menus.

• Electric utilities forced to transport power generated by their rivals.

In 1996 Congress passed the Congressional Review Act (CRA), which gave Congress 60 days to review final agency rules before taking effect.

But according to the Heritage Foundation, because a super-majority is required by Congress to act under CRA, not a single resolution has been passed to stop any of the approximately 3,200 new rules taking effect since CRA's enactment.

Source: Clyde Wayne Crews, Jr. (Competitive Enterprise Institute), "Regulation Without Representation," Washington Times, June 10, 1997.