Conservatives urge President Bush to reverse executive orders

A group of conservative House members has urged President Bush to reverse a series of executive orders issued by President Clinton during his last weeks in office.

In a letter dated Saturday, Reps. Jack Kingston, R-Ga., and Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., and about 30 other members urged Bush to "immediately rescind the avalanche of executive orders that President Clinton" signed between Election Day and Saturday's inauguration.

"These last-minute executive orders issued by President Clinton will have a tremendous impact on the health of our economy and environment as well as the time-honored constitutional separation of powers," they wrote.

At a news conference Friday, Kingston said although Bush may rescind many of these orders, it is more difficult because they have the support of various vocal interests.

Tancredo lamented moves by the Clinton administration to preserve Hawaiian coral reefs and prohibit new road building on federal forest lands--orders that the public may support but sidestep the congressional process.

"More lives are controlled by bureaucrats than are by members of Congress," Tancredo said.