Grandstanding Will Be The GOP Forte
Republicans might have a controlling interest in the House of the 112th Congress, but that’s about it, but they lack the numbers to do what they want even if they didn’t have Democrat-majority Senate and . . . . well . . . . a Democrat in the White House. What they will try to do is legislate against Executive Branch regulations.
What they found is an obscure authority provided by a 1996 law called the Congressional Review Act. It provides Congress with an expedited process by which to evaluate executive branch regulations, and then give the President a chance to agree or disagree.
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Earlier this year, Republican leaders endorsed REINS (Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny) which, if passed and signed, would give them much broader authority over the rule-making and regulatory process.
But it won’t survive a filibuster, let alone a veto. The CRA will be the GOP’s most effective tool.
My prediction: lots of bellyaching, not much action.
Tags: 112th Congress, Reaiity, Republicans
Where was the CRA during the Bush years and all the talk about the unitary executive? It was a featured aspect of his presidency.
One of the first things Congress did under Bush was use CRA to revoke Clinton’s OSHA rules on workplace ergonomics. This repeal was something that negatively affected my family forever.
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/ALLPOLITICS/03/20/bush.ergonomics/