June 2017 - In our government, Congress passes the laws and federal agencies, after much scientific and economic research and public input, set down the regulations as to how those laws will be put into action. Pushed by the current administration and the right wing in Congress, the Senate has before it a "triple threat" of bills, already passed by the House, that will destroy the regulatory process as we know it. They are:
- The REINS Act (S 21) requires each major regulation with more than $100 million annual impact to be specifically approved by both houses of Congress and signed by the President. It would require cost/benefit analyses for it, alternatives and related rules, including numbers on jobs. It would cover all agencies, environmental, health, food, labor, etc. Discussion on these sometimes highly technical issues would be limited to 2 hours total, with no amendments allowed, and no judicial review of the decisions. It would fundamentally devastate our regulatory process.
- The Regulatory Accountability Act (S 951) repeats some provisions of S 21 and adds many other requirements such as undergoing cross-examination by regulated corporations and industries, all of which will water down the regulations and slow down an already slow process.
- The Midnight Rules Relief Act (S 34) allows a whole list of regulations enacted in the last 8 months of the previous presidency to be invalidated "en bloc” with a single vote in each house. The reason for this extraordinary provision? It would take too long to vote on them individually!
Take Action: Urge your Senators to oppose all three destructive bills. Tell them that the health and well-being of our citizens and our environment need strong, fully considered and implemented regulations. A picture of an unregulated world can be seen in China and other countries with their toxic land, dirty water, and polluted air. These 3 laws, if passed, will do irreparable long-term damage.
Contact Your Senators:
Web: www.senate.gov
Tel: 202 224-3121 (Capitol switchboard)
Mail: Senator (first & last name)
U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510
Multiply this Message: Use this information to write a letter to the editor about this important & timely issue. This is a powerful way to educate and mobilize others—our job in the coming years!
Photo: Ron Wolf, Red Slime Mold
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