McKinley: We Must Strengthen Transparency in Regulations
Washington, DC,
September 14, 2016
Washington, D.C. – The House passed the Regulatory Integrity Act, legislation that brings more transparency to federal rule-making. An amendment to the bill sponsored by Congressman David B. McKinley, P.E. (WV-1) would restrict regulators from using their private e-mails to work in the shadows with these groups during a public comment period. In recent years, federal bureaucrats have used their private e-mail accounts with outside groups to influence regulations that include the Clean Power Plan, the Cross State Air Pollution Rule, and Pebble Mine, among others.
The House passed the Regulatory Integrity Act, legislation that brings more transparency to federal rule-making. An amendment to the bill sponsored by Congressman David B. McKinley, P.E. (WV-1) would restrict regulators from using their private e-mails to work in the shadows with these groups during a public comment period. In recent years, federal bureaucrats have used their private e-mail accounts with outside groups to influence regulations that include the Clean Power Plan, the Cross State Air Pollution Rule, and Pebble Mine, among others. Speaking from the House floor in support of his amendment, Congressman McKinley stated: “Private communications between those that stand to gain from a pending rule and a regulatory agency raises, I believe, legitimate questions. And we have seen it time and time again these last few years…These attempts to circumvent transparency by secretly giving an outside group a seat at the table when regulations are being developed is unacceptable and unfair. It has to stop.” Congressman McKinley’s full remarks can be seen here. Background Congressman McKinley’s amendmentrestricts employees or officers of an Executive Agency from using private email accounts when discussing a pending agency regulatory action with the public. All communications about pending regulatory actions should be preserved as federal records and available through FOIA, which is best achieved when agency officials use official email accounts. This legislation is supported by a wide range of groups that include the American Farm Bureau Federations, Americans for Tax Reform, Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), Campaign for Liberty, Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), FreedomWorks, National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB), National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), National Grain and Feed Association, National Taxpayers Union, R Street Institute, Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship Council, and the Taxpayer Alliance. |
