Episode Details

Stop the laws! In this episode, learn the details of three bills that passed the House of Representatives in January which would make enforcing laws more difficult for Federal agencies. Please support Congressional Dish: Click here to contribute with PayPal or Bitcoin; click the PayPal "Make it Monthly" checkbox to create a monthly subscription Click here to support Congressional Dish for each episode via Patreon Mail Contributions to: 5753 Hwy 85 North #4576 Crestview, FL 32536 Thank you for supporting truly independent media! Bills Highlighted in This Episode H.R. 1155: Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2016 (SCRUB Act)" Retrospective Regulatory Review Commission Establishes a new five-year commission that will review government rules to determine which ones should be eliminated "to reduce the costs of regulation to the economy." The Chairman will be appointed by the President and must have "experience in rulemaking". The other eight members will come from lists created by the majority and minority leaders in Congress of "individuals learned in rulemaking". The commission will have subpoena power and "the attendance of witnesses and the production of evidence may be required from any place within the United Stats at any designated place of hearing within the United States." The bill appropriates $30 million which are available until expended. The commission members will be paid, and will be given travel expenses including a per deim. The commission will hire staff, who will also be paid. The commission can hire "experts or consultants", and may "lease space and acquire personal property" "to the extent funds are available" The commission will review the Code of Federal Regulations to find rules "that should be repealed to lower the cost of regulation to the economy". Priority will be given to "major rules" which have been in effect more than 15 years, impose paperwork burdens" which could be reduced without "significantly diminishing" regulatory effectiveness. Goal is to reduce the cost of Federal regulations by 15% with a "minimal reduction" in the effectiveness of the regulations. Criteria for recommending repeal Whether the rule achieved its purpose and could be repealed without "significant" recurrence of adverse effects If technology, time, economic conditions, market practices, or "other relevant factors" have rendered the rule obsolete. If the rule is ineffective If the rule has "excessive compliance costs" or "is otherwise excessively burdensome", as compared to rules that give goals instead of orders and "give economic incentives to encourage desired behavior" If the rule "inhibits innovation in or growth of the United States economy" If the rule "harms competition" of entities based in the United States "Such other criteria as the Commission devises..." Repeal procedure If Congress passes a joint resolution approving the Commission's repeal suggestions, the Federal agencies will have to repeal the rules within 60 days of the joint resolution's enactment. Repealed rules can not be reissued without a new law enacted All records of public meetings and hearings will be published on the Commission's website within 1 week, Regulatory Cut-Go When an agency makes a new rule, they have to repeal a rule recommended by Commission so that costs of enforcement offset each other, but the agency must have a net reduction in costs Vote Passed the House of Representatives 245-174 There is an identical bill in the Senate: S. 1683 President Obama issued a veto threat Author Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri's 8th district Organizations Who Lobbied for H.R. 1155 America's Natural Gas Alliance U.S. Chamber of Commerce H.R. 712: Sunshine for Regulations and Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act H.R. 712 is a combination of three bills: The Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act, the All Economic Regulations are Transparent Act, and the Providing Accountability Through Transparency Ac