Reining in the bureaucraps
To boost hobbled economy, Trump orders agencies to ease rules
Executive order does not provide specific instructions but is a blanket message across the government to roll back or change regulations
President Donald Trump ordered federal agencies to pinpoint regulations “that may inhibit economic recovery” and alter or eliminate them in order to boost the economy hobbled by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The executive order issued Tuesday does not provide agencies, departments or officials with specific instructions but is a blanket message across the U.S. government to roll back or change regulations in the face of the health crisis that has killed more than 90,000 Americans and sent more than 35 million into unemployment.
“Agencies should address this economic emergency by rescinding, modifying, waiving, or providing exemptions from regulations and other requirements that may inhibit economic recovery,” the order says in part.
Trump unveiled the order at a Cabinet meeting, touting his efforts to eliminate federal rules.
“With millions of Americans forced out of work by the virus, it’s more important than ever to remove burdens that destroy American jobs,” Trump said. “Regulations, we’ve done more regulation cutting than any president in history.”…………..
A report that the nonpartisan watchdog group Accountable.US released last week found federal agencies have issued more than 730 rules or rule proposals since Feb. 11, when the World Health Organization released the name of the virus. Just 2 percent of those rules or proposed rules directly related to COVID-19, the group said.
Congressional experts say an effort to dodge the Congressional Review Act, a law that allows Congress to repeal executive branch rules put in place during the previous 60 legislative days, may be driving the administration’s push to release new rules……….