[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 4 (Thursday, January 7, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E20]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                         H.R. 712 AND H.R. 1155

                                  _____
                                 

                          HON. EARL BLUMENAUER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 7, 2016

  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this week, the House considered H.R. 
712, the Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act, and H.R. 
1155, the SCRUB Act, pieces of legislation with the primary purpose of 
dismantling and undermining the federal rulemaking and regulatory 
process. I voted against both of these bills.
  Throughout my career, as an administrator and policymaker at the 
local, state, and federal levels, I have often seen the value of 
common-sense regulations that save lives. I have also seen the 
challenges associated with cumbersome regulations that are difficult to 
comply with.
  There are ways to make some regulations more efficient and easier to 
navigate, but we must do so in a way that protects public health, 
maintains our environmental protections, and ensures fair market 
interactions. These bills, however, are far from the mark
  They both would implement a ``cut-go'' approach that would require 
every new rule to come with the removal of another, even in cases of 
emergency or imminent harm to public health. This approach is absurd. 
Regulations often build on each other, evolving and sometimes rapidly 
responding to emerging challenges, and this type of restriction will 
only threaten the process and undermine the ability of agencies to 
effectively protect public health, public safety, the environment and 
more.
  The Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act, through its 
barriers to consent decrees, through its imposition of a moratorium on 
implementation until a rule is available online for six months, and 
through its requirement that all rules be summarized in 100 words 
online, regardless of how complex, only adds additional, unnecessary 
burdens on the rulemaking process, without actually improving it.
  The underlying assumption behind these bills is that regulations are 
unwelcome and burdensome on communities and the economy. I frequently, 
however, hear from industry in my community and around the country 
about the importance of many government regulations, in equalizing the 
playing field and setting important guidelines based on science that 
allow them be good actors in their communities.
  There are certainly outdated regulations, and there is always room 
for greater efficiencies, and the creation of more performance based, 
flexible regulatory processes. These bills however, will not get us 
closer to that goal, and are dangerous to public safety, to health and 
the environment.

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