House Passes Regulatory Reform Bill

On February 4th, the House passed the Unfunded Mandates Information and Transparency Act (HR 50).  The measure, introduced in early January by Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), would require all Federal agencies to assess the effects of Federal regulatory actions on state, local and tribal governments.  Ten principles, against which the regulations are to be assessed, are also specified.  They range from considerations as to whether there is an alternative to the proposed rule; whether existing Federal regulations cause or contribute to the problem that the new the proposed action is designed to correct; and whether all relevant costs and benefits have been identified and quantified.
There is no companion legislation in the Senate.  The White House has already threatened a veto.   To read a more substantive summary of the bill’s text, click on the Legislative Tab of ASDWA’s webpage www.asdwa.org and look under House Narrative.