House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., is a border-state representative who has about an eight-hour drive to Canada. He has good personal relationships with Canadian conservatives and has spoken positively about some of Canada’s policy choices, including its competitive corporate-tax system. He may not quite be ready for honorary citizenship, but he seems prepared to import some good ideas across the border.

Which brings us to Speaker Ryan’s recent announcement of a new congressional Task Force on Reducing Regulatory Burdens. The sprawling U.S. regulatory state has grown exponentially over the past several years, becoming an obstacle to entrepreneurship, investment and job creation. The task force’s mandate is clear: To launch a regulatory-reform agenda that makes the system more accountable, transparent and conducive to economic growth.