Senate regulatory panel to hold inaugural hearing

The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, Federal Rights and Agency Action on Thursday posted notice of the hearing, entitled “Justice Delayed: The Human Cost of Regulatory Paralysis.”

Witnesses have not been named.

The hearing, set for next Thursday, comes as several committees and subcommittees in the GOP-controlled house have put federal regulations and their costs on trial. Republicans have held a series of hearings over the last several months, and have introduced a number of bills meant to soften, block or repeal regulations.

This week, the House Judiciary Committee advanced a pair of measures intended to limit agencies’ rulemaking powers, and members of the Small Business Committee pressed the White House’s top regulatory official to scrap more rules now on the books.


Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) figures to serve as a prominent advocate for strong regulations, which public interest groups argue are needed to protect public health and safety.

Also serving on the new panel are Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.).