Press Releases

Today, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on H.R. 3010, the “Regulatory Accountability Act,” which would amend the Administrative Procedure Act in numerous ways that would effectively halt agency rulemaking, undermining critical public health and safety rules.  Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) released the following statement in response to the hearing:

“The Regulatory Accountability Act will result in ‘paralysis by analysis’, slowing down the implementation of critical public health and safety rules, all while doing nothing to promote job creation,” said Conyers.  “Rather than encouraging job creation and improving the rulemaking process, the bill will lead to even greater regulatory uncertainty for businesses awaiting decisions by rulemaking agencies and delay the promulgation of critical rules intended to protect public health and safety because of the bill’s burdensome new requirements.    

“Every economically significant rule already must undergo a rigorous review and cost-benefit analysis per longstanding executive orders.  This bill, however, will provide yet another opportunity for big businesses to recklessly cut corners on public health and safety in the name of increasing big profits.  

“The bill would add more than 60 new analytical requirements that will considerably delay the rulemaking process and allow numerous opportunities for parties to litigate whether agencies complied with these additional procedures.  Moreover, it would allow federal judges, who are often generalists, to second-guess and override agency experts. 

“Most important, the bill has a super-mandate that would override all other laws, including the Clear Air Act, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the Mine Safety and Health Act, to impose a cost-benefit analysis requirement that could compromise worker safety and public health.  

“The Regulatory Accountability Act will undercut critical public heath and safety rules, and undermine the public’s confidence in the products businesses provide.  It will increase economic uncertainty, not lead to job creation.”  

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