Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, H.R. 712 imposes a 6-month moratorium before a rule can take effect, unless the rule either: (1) qualifies under the Administrative Procedure Act's exception for notice and comment, which applies ``when the agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the finding and a brief statement of the reasons therefore in the rules issued) that notice and public procedure thereon are impractical, unnecessary, or contrary to public interest;'' or (2) if the President issues an executive order determining that the rule is necessary because of an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, necessary for the enforcement of the criminal laws, necessary for national security, or issued pursuant to any statute implementing an international trade agreement. The amendment simply strikes ``imminent'' from H.R. 712, so that a rule that prevents a threat to health or safety or other emergency would qualify under the bill's exception. As the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards--an organization representing more than 150 labor, scientific, research, good government, faith, community, health, environmental, and public interest groups--observes, the bill's moratorium will put on hold for 6 months ``the benefits of critically needed regulations, whether measured in lives saved, environmental damage averted, or money saved.'' This 6-month delay would be in addition to the already time-consuming process by which rules are promulgated.…”