Regulatory Accountability Act HR 5

Regulatory Accountability Act HR 5

Often you have an idea of what you may think of legislation based on what organizations are in favor of it versus those against. The recently House passed bill HR 5 — the Regulatory Accountability Act — has approximately 13 environmental groups opposed to it while more than 40 agricultural organizations including the American Farm Bureau Federation approve and support its regulatory reforms.

The legislation would make reforms to the rulemaking process. AFBF Director of Environment and Energy Policy Paul Schlegel says the opposing groups' accusations that the legislation would interfere with implementing the Food Safety and Modernization Act are not true.

Schlegel: "We disagree with that very strongly. One of the ironies is that while farmers and ranchers have real problems with the way rule making process has functioned, the way that FDA went about its regulatory efforts under Food Safety Modernization got very high marks from lots of people — including Farm Bureau."

                       

Schlegel points to the Waters of the U.S. rulemaking process as a reason for making changes to the rulemaking process.

Schlegel: "That rule making process was an example of how things are NOT suppose to happen. If the agency is faithful to a Congressional intent. If it is faithful to Supreme Court rulings. If it looks at the science objectively — that is what you want an agency to do when their undertaking a rule making. In this case they didn't, so we want to institutionalize reforms so we don't have that type of thing again."

 

Previous ReportPlan Ahead to Maximize Spring Nitrogen Crop Applications
Next ReportLooking for Benefits in Weed Species