Political Quotes

“My amendment would exempt from H.R. 5982 the rules issued in response to an imminent threat to health, safety, or other emergencies. My amendment addresses one of the most problematic aspects of H.R. 5982 which would permit Congress to invalidate rules en bloc without proper consideration of any individual rule's benefits and no matter how important or time-sensitive such rule may be. Agencies often promulgate emergency rules in response to immediate threats to public health and safety. As the Congressional Review Act itself recognizes, such critical rules can go into effect immediately if the President so directs by executive order. H.R. 5982 would, however, empower a subsequent Congress and administration to override such determination and disapprove these rules. As a result of such disapproval, these regulations would be null and void, as if they had never taken effect. It is no secret that industry and special interests have strenuously opposed many life-saving requirements that the Federal Government has imposed over the years, such as air quality standards, the mandatory installation of automobile airbags, and emergency exit lighting for passenger airplanes. Nevertheless, H.R. 5982 provides an open invitation for industry to have yet another bite of the apple by seeking to undo regulations in a new Congress and administration. For example, let us consider the Flint water crisis in my State, which was a preventable public health disaster.…”