From: The Hill
A new report from the conservative American Action Forum (AAF) has identified tens of billions of dollars worth of proposed regulations that are scheduled to be issued after November’s midterm elections.
The report, based on information culled from the Obama administration’s formal rule-making agenda, follows a federal finding that politics were at play in the delays of major regulations ahead of the 2012 election.
The AAF study counted 15 major regulations with associated projected costs of roughly $34 billion that are due in November, December and January.
Among them are a series of contentious Environmental Protection Agency regulations, including a final rule imposing new limits greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and standards for ground-level ozone.
Various labor, energy and healthcare regulations also made the list.
“Regardless of possible motive, if this schedule remains in place, there will be no shortage of major regulations issued immediately after Election Day,” according to the report, authored by Sam Batkins, the group’s director of regulatory affairs.
Administrations led by both parties have been accused of delaying regulations before elections and, in cases where the opposing party wins the White House, presidents issuing a flurry of “midnight regulations.”