Dear Representative:

On behalf of our millions of members, the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) works to turn environmental values into national, state, and local priorities.  Each year, LCV publishes the National Environmental Scorecard, which details the voting records of members of Congress on environmental legislation.  The Scorecard is distributed to LCV members, concerned voters nationwide, and the media. 

LCV urges you to vote NO on H.R. 21, the Midnight Rules Relief Act and H.R. 26, the REINS Act. LCV joins our partners in the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards—an alliance of consumer, public health, labor, good government, environmental, and scientific groups—in strongly opposing this pair of extreme bills that have far-reaching and damaging consequences for vital public health and environmental safeguards.

H.R. 26, the REINS Act, requires both houses of Congress to affirmatively approve all significant new public protections before they take effect. This is nothing more than a tool for polluters to scuttle new health and environmental safeguards. Furthermore, the REINS Act is redundant and unnecessary, given that Congress already has the first and last word on agency rulemaking.  The REINS Act would effectively delay or even shut down the implementation of existing laws, which could mean more premature deaths, illnesses, and other health impacts on the American people at the hands of polluters dumping toxins into our air and water.

H.R. 21, the Midnight Rules Relief Act would allow en bloc disapproval of all regulations finalized near the end of presidential terms. This bill is based on the unfounded premise that these rules are somehow rushed or not vetted, when in reality these rulemakings are often years in the making and involve extensive public input by the responsible federal agencies. By contrast, H.R. 21 would allow a multitude of rules to be overturned using an expedited legislative process under the Congressional Review Act that by its design is rushed, lacks transparency, and has limited debate.
LCV urges you to REJECT H.R. 21 & 26 and will strongly consider including votes on these bills in the 2017 Scorecard. If you need more information, please call my office at (202) 785-8683 and ask to speak with a member of our Government Relations team.

Sincerely,

Gene Karpinski

President