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House GOP's Letter Urges Agencies to Not Issue Regulations for Remainder of Obama Administration

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. and all other House committee chairs on Nov. 15 sent a letter to government agencies urging them to not finalize any new regulations between now and the end of the Obama administration. “It’s now time to change the tide to get the economy moving,” McCarthy said during a press conference (here). The letter warns that lawmakers will scrutinize any regulations issued before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, adding that Congress could overturn them pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (CRA) “if appropriate.” By refraining from “acting with undue haste,” the administration can ensure that agency staff will fully assess the costs and benefits of rules and can decrease the likelihood of unintended consequences harming consumers and businesses, the lawmakers said.

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President Barack Obama issued a statement of administration policy on Nov. 14 (here) threatening to veto the “Midnight Rules Relief Act,” which is set for a House floor vote this week and would allow Congress to disapprove of several regulations at a time pursuant to the CRA, rather than one by one as directed under current law. The legislation would apply only to rules submitted during the last 60 legislative days of a congressional session.

Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the letter.