GOP renews push for regulatory reform

Congressional Republicans are rushing to win enough Democratic support to pass several bills designed to make the government-and Congress-more accountable for the laws it passes and regulations it imposes.

Government reform bills are no strangers in a Republican-controlled Congress, but this year-fearful they could lose their majority in 2000-Republicans are moving with added urgency. As the Mandates Information Act, the Regulatory Improvement Act and the Regulatory Right to Know Act wind their way through committees in both chambers, sources see increasing momentum. "Last year people were extremely skeptical," said one industry source, "but this year things are moving forward."

The House already has passed the mandates bill, which would modify House rules to allow a point of order on any bill deemed to impose a private sector cost of more than $100 million.

The bill, sponsored by Reps. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Gary Condit, D- Calif., would give each side 10 minutes to debate the costs of the bill before the House votes to either end debate-or kill the bill.

The House passed the bill 274-149 after rejecting two amendments that would have eased health and environmental concerns.

Sen. Spencer Abraham, R-Mich., has introduced a similar version, but no committee action is imminent. Abraham had hoped to have the bill approved by the Budget Committee soon after the spring recess, but a Budget panel source said the committee likely will not act on the bill until after Memorial Day. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who tried to soften a similar bill last year, plans to oppose the bill again this year.

The Senate is moving a proposal offered by Governmental Affairs Chairman Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., to require agencies to conduct a cost-benefit analysis before issuing rules that cost more than $100 million.

The Regulatory Improvement Act is cosponsored by 20 Senators-including six Democrats, one of them Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D.. But sources expect Republicans and Democrats alike to offer several amendments during a markup tentatively planned for next Wednesday or Thursday. Sources said Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., will not give the bill floor time if it is controversial.

The House has not proposed a complementary version this year, but has handily passed similar bills in prior sessions.

Thompson, House Commerce Chairman Thomas Bliley, R-Va., and Rep. David McIntosh, R-Ind., also are pushing the Regulatory Right-To-Know Act to require the Office of Management and Budget to perform an annual accounting of the costs and benefits of federal regulations.

A House Government Reform subcommittee passed the bill last month after McIntosh made changes to assuage Democrats and the administration. A House Government Reform source said the full panel will hold a vote soon, but a date has not been set.

While supporters of the regulatory reform bills see momentum growing to pass at least one of three regulatory relief bills this year, many Democrats and environmental, health and labor groups-as well as a few Republicans-are trying to peel away enough support to block the bills outright or to draw a veto threat from the Clinton administration.

Already, the White House has vowed to veto the Mandates Information Act, fearing it will make legislation to protect the environment or strengthen health and labor laws more difficult to pass. But the administration has given lukewarm support to the Regulatory Improvement Act and supports most aspects of the Regulatory Right-to-Know Act-compelling opponents of the measures to target their lobbying efforts at undecided, moderate Republicans and Democrats.

Opponents already are seeking to add amendments to the Regulatory Improvement Act during a Senate Governmental Affairs panel markup next week in order to water down the bill or make it too contentious for floor time.

Lott did not support the bill last year, but has said this year that he will bring it to the floor if he feels that Democrats will not attempt to amend it on the floor. That strategy could be unsuccessful because the bill lost its lead Democratic supporter on the committee when former Sen. John Glenn, D-Ohio, retired. The bill already has several Democratic supporters and Democratic Sens. John Edwards of North Carolina and Max Cleland of Georgia-who are undecided-are seen as key votes.

Opponents of the Regulatory Right-to-Know Act are pressuring the administration to not endorse changes in the measure made by Rep. David McIntosh, R-Ind., at a House Government Reform subcommittee session last week. The administration has not said it supports the new version, but at a Senate hearing on Thompson's version of the bill, officials asked Thompson to include the changes the House subcommittee approved.

Opponents said they want the White House to "raise the bar." Opponents also take heart in the fact that Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, who is the lead Democratic cosponsor of the Regulatory Improvement Act, has not supported the Regulatory Right-to-Know Act.