The latter practice has been the source of significant criticism, particularly from congressional Republicans, who say the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has agreed to settle lawsuits with green groups behind closed doors.
The suits, in many cases citing the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act, often lead to more stringent restrictions. Critics say the practice effectively allows environmentalists and the EPA to regulate outside the formal rulemaking process.
The Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2013 would put new limitations on consent decrees and allow outside parties to intervene in the cases
“It puts an end to the abuse of these practices,” Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte said.
The panel is also scheduled to consider the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2013, which would allow regulators to consider the indirect costs of rules on small businesses and subject more regulations to panel reviews.
Under the Regulatory Accountability Act, agencies would face greater requirements to measure the costs and benefits of proposed regulations and would be forced to disclose additional information about their decision under the bill. So-called “mega rules,” regulations that cost more than $1 billion annually, would be subjected to congressional hearings.
If approved as expected, the measures would advance to the House floor.
Democrats on the committee, led by Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), lambasted the bills, saying they reflect an overt attempt to hamstring the government’s ability to enact important public and environmental protections.
“I’m not certain why there’s such a rush to mark up all these bills just a week before the August recess,” Conyers said, accusing his GOP rivals of putting on a show by passing legislation that he contends would be dead on arrival in the Senate.
“It’s clear that these bills as written aren’t going to go very far,” he said.