PRESIDENT FINALLY ASKS INDEPENDENT AGENCIES TO PRODUCE PLANS TO REASSESS AND STREAMLINE REGULATIONS*

Washington, Jul 11 - As Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) held the panel's first hearing on the Administration's regulatory reform agenda on June 3rd. This was the first in a series of hearings on regulatory reform, with the most recent held on Friday July 8th investigating whether independent agencies under the Committee's jurisdiction were participating in the regulatory reform effort.

"My top priority for the subcommittee is promoting economic growth and job creation, which includes urging federal agencies to consider economic growth while evaluating new regulations and reviewing existing regulations to pare down or eliminate those where the cost in jobs and money exceeds the public benefit," aid Stearns. "Although the President issued an executive order requiring such reviews, the independent agencies were not bound by the executive order issued in January, but the Office of Management and Budget requested that they also comply. In the hearing last week, we learned that these independent agencies largely failed to comply with this request. I am encouraged that President Obama agrees on the need to promote regulatory reviews among the independent agencies with a goal of removing barriers to new jobs and economic opportunities through this executive order. I will continue to review progress made by the Administration in reforming its regulatory agenda."

* Independent agencies were excluded in Executive Order 13563 issued on January 18, 2011