Overnight Regulation: White House threatens to veto GOP reg reform bills

Welcome to Overnight Regulation, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Wednesday evening here in Washington, where Republicans are getting ready for a major regulatory reform push. Here’s the latest.

THE BIG STORY

President Obama is threatening to veto controversial regulatory reform legislation from Republicans.

The White House said this week the president would reject two bills that clamp down on federal agencies’ authority to issue rules.

{mosads}The House is expected on Thursday to approve the Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act — better known as the SCRUB Act. The measure would create a commission to retrospectively review and wipe out unnecessary and duplicative regulations.

But the Obama administration, which has already taken steps to conduct a retrospective review of government rules, is concerned Republicans could abuse the power.

“The bill’s ‘cut-go’ approach is problematic,” the White House wrote. “It would interfere with the ability of agencies to issue regulations that are essential for the protection of public health, safety, and the environment.

“This ability should not be constrained by a commission’s recommendation, or congressional approval of a list of repealable rules,” it added.

The House will also vote Thursday on the Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act, which would limit the ability of advocacy groups to take federal agencies to court in an effort to pressure them to issue new rules.

Republicans have expressed concerns about this “sue-and-settle” process, but the White House says it is a “nonexistent problem.”

“It would address a nonexistent problem that is already prohibited by federal regulations: Collusion between agencies, interest groups, and the courts to avoid compliance with the rulemaking procedures,” the White House wrote.

ON TAP FOR THURSDAY

The House Small Business Committee will hold a hearing to discuss mismanagement in the Small Business Administration. http://1.usa.gov/1MU0EUh

The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security will hold a hearing to discuss challenges with the Transportation Security Acquisition Reform Act. http://1.usa.gov/1OOUq9F

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 125 new regulations, proposed rules, notices and other administrative actions in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

–The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will release new draft guidelines for its human exposure assessments.

The public has 45 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1Z6cYI9

–The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will delay new guidelines for hearing aids.

The FDA issued draft guidance for “hearing aid devices and personal sound amplification products” in 2013, but is now reopening the comment period to give the public more time to discuss.

The public has 120 days to comment. http://bit.ly/1mGOE3m

–President Obama will push new rules for smart gun technology.

As part of the president’s executive action on guns, he is promoting smart gun technology in a memorandum that will be posted in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

“Developing and promoting technology that would help prevent these tragedies is an urgent priority,” the president writes. http://bit.ly/1S4DRx8

NEWS RIGHT NOW

White House threatens to veto reg reform bills http://bit.ly/1kMIvBi

Republican: Obama regs ‘constitutionally questionable’ http://bit.ly/1O5zv4S

Warren praises Sanders’ Wall Street fight http://bit.ly/1PfoITB

McConnell: Obama gun control action ‘all about politics’ http://bit.ly/1Pfvj0l

Alabama Chief Justice issues order banning same-sex marriage http://bit.ly/1OP17sj

Final tally: Police shot and killed 984 people in 2015 – The Washington Post http://wapo.st/1RaG2iB

VW exec sees US fixes soon in emissions test cheating – The Associated Press http://apne.ws/1VJPZ5L

BY THE NUMBERS

70 percent: How much of Dodd-Franks’ rule-making requirements have been completed.

QUOTE OF THE DAY 

“I’m glad Bernie Sanders is out there fighting to hold the big banks accountable, to make our economy safer, and to stop the Republicans from rigging the system even more in Wall Street’s favor,” — Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote on Facebook.

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-staging.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-staging.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-staging.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and @wheelerlydia.

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