-Caveat Lector-
Bush Scrambles to Block Clinton Rush Orders
By Eric Pianin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, January 21, 2001 ; Page A18
President Bush moved swiftly yesterday to block or rescind scores of
executive orders and regulations dealing with the environment, health,
food and safety, and workplace conditions that were rushed through in
the final weeks of the Clinton administration.
Under orders from Bush, White House chief of staff Andrew H. Card Jr.
instructed the Government Printing Office to halt publication in the
Federal Register of any new rules "to ensure that the president's
appointees have the opportunity to review any new or pending
regulations."
Final regulations have the force of law once they are printed in the
Federal Register, the government's official organ. The new
administration also issued a 60-day stay on regulations that were
published in the register but have not yet taken effect.
Although other new presidents have issued similar instructions after
taking office, Bush and his aides have voiced concern over the number of
regulations implemented in the closing days of the Clinton presidency,
particularly moves to protect millions of acres of public lands from
logging and oil exploration.
"President Clinton was very busy issuing final regulations," Bush
spokesman Scott McClellan said yesterday. Bush's order gives the new
administration "the chance to fully and carefully review all these
last-minute regulations. It's our responsibility and it's sound public
policy."
Bush also ordered a freeze on most federal hiring to give his new
Cabinet members the opportunity to put their stamp on the government
bureaucracy, and issued a strict code of conduct for members of his
administration that focuses on potential financial conflicts of
interest.
Bush also issued a proclamation declaring today a National Day of Prayer
and Thanksgiving, urging Americans to spend their Sunday in prayer and
reflection, recalling "all that unites us."
Although presidents have challenged last-minute rule-making by their
predecessors in the past, Bush's handling of his review of Clinton
administration actions could have a significant impact on relations
between the Republican administration and congressional Democrats.
Republicans hailed the president's action as a brake on hasty
legislating by decree, but Democrats said they would be closely watching
Bush's review of those regulations for clues as to his seriousness about
trying to mend political wounds from the election.
"I would hope that he would take great care in rolling back many of
these matters that I think have been very carefully thought out and
would have very serious repercussions were they to be terminated this
quickly," said Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.).
Among the actions targeted are environmental restrictions on runoff from
animal feeding operations and more than 800 pages of new guidelines for
managed care programs under Medicare.
Another possible target is a last-minute regulation announced by former
agriculture secretary Dan Glickman that would require plants producing
hot dogs and other ready-to-eat meats to conduct periodic testing for
listeria bacteria, which sickened 100 people and killed 21 others during
an outbreak several years ago. The measure was supported by consumer
groups but opposed by large segments of the meat industry.
The Environmental Protection Agency also recently issued other
regulations to reduce the small traces of arsenic in drinking water by
80 percent, to cut back on pollution in the Mississippi River and to
expand residents' right to know about lead emissions in their
communities.
The Clinton administration issued regulations protecting 60 million
acres of national forests from logging and road-building, and instituted
rules to prevent workplace injuries. It also proposed new standards for
lead in paint, soil and dust, and the sulfur levels in diesel fuel for
buses and large trucks.
Some of these measures, including new ergonomic standards that are
vigorously opposed by the business community and the logging ban in
roadless forests, are likely out of Bush's reach because of the
difficulties he would encounter under federal law in trying to rescind
rules that already have the effect of law.
However, congressional Republicans and Bush administration officials say
they are troubled by the flurry of last-minute action by Clinton and
insist that a careful review with an eye to possible changes is
warranted.
"The whole myriad of regulations he signed while he was walking out the
door should be looked at," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman Pete
V. Domenici (R-N.M.). "Clinton had four years of a second term to do
some of those, and because he does them all right now makes them all
suspect."
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Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
FROM THE DESK OF:
*Michael Spitzer* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
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