Obama’s Regulatory Chief: Businesses Will Always Criticize Us
From: Government Executive
Charles S. Clark, Senior Correspondent
Despite the Obama administration’s vow to apply “common sense” safeguards against agency rules that are too burdensome, the business community “will always be critical of regulations when there is a cost,” the head of the White House regulatory office said on Monday.
Howard Shelanski, administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, told an audience of sometimes-skeptical progressives at the headquarters of Public Citizen that “President Obama clearly wants to help the environment and protect health, safety and welfare, while consulting with business.”
The administration’s rules thus far have a net benefit of $159 billion, with another $25 billion expected this year, Shelanski said. “These are good things for society, and are a good thing for business over the long haul,” he said.
