Gore helps revive reg reform

Recent negotiations between Vice President Al Gore and Sens. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., and Carl Levin, D-Mich., "helped revive" regulatory reform legislation, The Nashville Tennessean reported Friday.

Among its provisions, the Thompson-Levin legislation would require agencies to conduct cost-benefit and risk analyses on major new rules and periodically review some existing rules. Until now, the Clinton administration has withheld support for the bill, seeking changes to ensure it would not undermine health or environmental protections nor add significant costs or delays to the regulatory process.

But after a meeting last month in which Gore told Levin what must be changed in the bill to gain President Clinton's support, the senators agreed to "tone down" language on judicial review of agency actions, peer review panels and risk assessment. On July 15, the Office of Management and Budget sent the senators a letter signaling tentative support of the compromise version.

Gore was "apparently in need of a pro-business measure to tuck under his belt," according to the Tennessean. "Gore's office denies he did anything more than advocate the president's position on regulatory reform." But while Gore's move "pleased" the Business Roundtable and the National Association of Manufacturers, "it has angered" environmental groups who fear the bill could lead to lower health and environmental standards.

Alan Jones of the Tennessee Environmental Council: "[Gore] does a disservice to the environment and a disservice to this country by supporting this legislation."

Maura Kealey of Public Citizen: "The vice president intervened and really breathed life into something that had a 'Do Not Resuscitate' sign on it. One can only speculate why he would want to do that."

Meanwhile, the agreement with the White House is still "fragile." Clinton has said he would sign the bill "only if it remains untouched by conservative Republicans." Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. wants to preserve a chance for Democrats to amend the bill. And a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., told the Tennessean the bill may not make it to the floor this year since the Senate has fallen behind schedule on the budget.