In 2000 U.S. federal government regulations cost an estimated $843 billion, or 8 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This cost of complying with federal regulations was nearly half as large as total U.S. federal government receipts, which equaled 20 percent of GDP in 2000.

While all citizens and businesses of course do share in these costs, the distribution of this burden is quite uneven. In the business sector, those hit hardest are small businesses. Firms employing fewer than 20 employees face an annual regulatory burden of $6,975 per employee, a burden nearly 60 percent above that facing a firm employing over 500 employees.

Read the rest of the Report from the SBA Office of Advocacy HERE