Legislation to create a Congressional Office of Regulatory Analysis, an office that would assess new federal rules and their potential impact, passed the House Government Reform Committee by voice vote Thursday, LEGI-SLATE News Service reported.
Proponents said the office created under the bill would provide congressional oversight of executive branch regulatory activity.
"We need this kind of independent, verifiable information if we are going to rein in the growing costs of federal regulations on the American people," said House Government Reform Chairman Burton.
But Democrats argued the office created under the bill would duplicate the functions of existing federal agencies.
Government Reform ranking member Henry Waxman, D-Calif., said the bill would "make big government bigger."
The House Judiciary Committee has approved an almost identical version of the bill. And Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., has introduced similar legislation.
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