House Approves Third Anti-Regulatory Bill, Attacking Public Protections

WASHINGTON – The House today approved the Regulatory Accountability Act (RAA), another in a series of measures attacking a broad range of public safeguards.

The following is a statement by Scott Slesinger, legislative director at the Natural Resources Defense Council:

“This is a sledgehammer aimed at everything federal agencies do to protect our health, safety and pocketbooks.  Don’t be misled by those who try to pass it off as ‘reform.’  This radical bill is designed to give industry a free hand to pollute, harm our health and engage in financial mischief.  It will strike at commonsense federal rules—like energy efficiency standards—that save Americans money and protect the environment.  The Senate, and the public, should swiftly reject it.”

The RAA would revamp and significantly slow down the process by which rules are promulgated.  It would require over 60 new steps in the regulatory process, most of which ignore the benefits of the rules, while exaggerating the costs.  Some of its provisions could make it difficult for any new rule to pass judicial review.

For more information about the assault on regulations that protect us, see this blog by David Goldston, director of government affairs at NRDC: https://www.nrdc.org/experts/david-goldston/reins-act-why-congress-shou….

# # #

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 2 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Chicago; Bozeman, Montana; and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC