President Seeks to Weaken Protections for Consumers on His Way Out of Office
President Bush is working to enact a wide array of federal regulations, many of which would weaken government rules aimed at protecting consumers and the environment, before the President leaves office in January.
The new rules would be among the most controversial deregulatory steps in over a decade and could be difficult for his successor to undo. Some would ease or lift constraints on private industry, including power plants, mines and farms. They include new rules governing employees who take family- and medical-related leaves, new standards for preventing or containing oil spills, and a "simplified" process for settling real estate transactions.
Once such rules take effect, they typically can be undone only through a laborious new regulatory proceeding, including lengthy periods of public comment, drafting and mandated reanalysis.
Read the Story in the Washington Post.
