URBAN ECONOMIC POLICY

SUPPORTING THE REGULATORY IMPROVEMENT ACT

WHEREAS, in February 1998, the General Accounting Office released a report that concludes that the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995, which in part was enacted to limit the ability of federal agencies to impose new costly unfunded mandates on state and local governments, has had only limited impact on federal agencies’ rulemaking actions; and

WHEREAS, state and local leaders are concerned that federal agencies are continuing to impose new costly rules on state and local governments with very little accountability; and

WHEREAS, in response to the GAO report, Senators Fred Thompson and Carl Levin introduced the Regulatory Improvement Act, a proposal that would require federal agencies to conduct cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment and peer review before issuing any new major rule (costing over $100 million annually or deemed by the Office of Management and Budget to have a significant impact on the economy); and

WHEREAS, under the proposed legislation federal agencies that issue new rules before conducting the required cost-benefit analysis, risk assessment and peer review would be subjected to judicial review and courts would be required to invalidate such rules; and

WHEREAS, the bill would require each federal agency to develop an effective process to allow elected representatives of state and local governments to provide meaningful and timely input into the regulatory process consistent with UMRA,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges all members of the U.S. Senate to vote in favor of the Regulatory Improvement Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors urges that similar legislation be introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives and urges all members to vote in favor of such legislation.