As part of his ongoing efforts to cut red tape in government, President Barack Obama is asking all the agencies under his control to review any of the rules which place unreasonable burdens upon businesses and hinder economic growth.

Obama signed on Tuesday an executive order for the agencies to do so.

[The executive order] orders a government-wide review of the rules already on the books to remove outdated regulations that stifle job creation and make our economy less competitive, Obama wrote in an op-ed published on Tuesday.

Senior officials said Tuesday the latest order is a natural outgrowth of the work the White House has already been doing.

How medical devices are approved will be in the spotlight tomorrow as the FDA introduces its latest effort to improve the process, Obama said.

The President cited two examples of work which reflects Tuesday's order. Last year, several agencies in his Administration worked together to turn a tangle of rules into one aggressive new fuel standard which created certainty about rules for car companies.

He also cited last month's elimination of a rule by the EPA which treated saccharin as a toxic chemical. The Food And Drug Administration had long treated saccharin as worthy of being consumed.

The White House also released a pair of memos asking agencies to make rule compliance information available online and reduce paperwork burdens for small businesses.

Expected results will be elimination of conflicting rules, and those not worth the cost, the President said.

The benefits and costs of new rules will also be considered as new rules are made, Obama added.

He said the order strikes the right balance between ensuring the rules protect safety, health and the environment while promoting economic growth.

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