Washington — President Donald Trump has issued an Executive Order directing federal agencies to eliminate 10 regulations for each new one they introduce.
Signed on Jan. 31, the order is similar to the “2-for-1” Executive Order issued by Trump in January 2017. A fact sheet that accompanies the new order claims the administration eliminated more than five regulations for each new one during the president’s first term.
“This Executive Order builds on President Trump’s previous success to improve daily lives of the American people by reducing unnecessary, burdensome and costly federal regulations,” the fact sheet states.
A 2017 guidance memo from the White House clarified that the Executive Order would apply only to “significant regulatory actions” – those with an estimated “annual effect on the economy” of $100 million or more. It remains to be seen whether another guidance memo will follow this new order.
For safety agencies, expect no movement over the next four years on pending regulations, such as OSHA’s rule on heat illness and injury prevention.
In a Feb. 1 statement from Public Citizen, Robert Weissman, co-president of the watchdog group, said Trump’s “preposterous deregulatory Executive Order – demanding 10 rules go for every one issued – is a flat-out gift to polluters, grifters, reckless employers and big business overall.” Weissman claims the order is illegal.
He continued: “Regulatory protections give us cleaner air and water, safer food, fairer workplaces, and a more just economy. Rolling them back will hurt every American. Regulatory safeguards make society not only healthier and more just, they make us richer. Every major regulation delivers more benefits in dollar terms than it takes in costs.”
Public Citizen was among the organizations that filed suit to challenge the 2017 Executive Order. That lawsuit was dismissed in 2018 and again in 2020.
McCraren Compliance offers a full range of safety and health training and consulting services. Plus we can help you incorporate well-being into your traditional systems in order to support the Total Worker Health of your workforce.
Call 888-758-4757, email info@mccrarencompliance.com or visit our website www.mccrarencompliance.com
Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication