The top Office of Management and Budget official on regulatory matters said today the Clinton administration has "serious concerns" about a regulatory reform bill introduced by Senate Governmental Affairs Chairman Thompson and Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.
Testifying before the committee, OMB Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Administrator Sally Katzen said while she is skeptical an omnibus regulatory reform bill is a wise course, if the committee decides to report the bill the administration wants to work with members to address White House concerns.
Meanwhile, James Martin of the National Governors' Association testified his group supports the bill with modifications to ensure consultation with state and local governments.
Levin, in an opening statement, said the bill was designed to avoid problems raised in regulatory reform legislation debated by the Senate but never voted on in the last Congress - adding that he wants to address additional concerns raised by the administration and bill opponents.
Levin said the bill would not overturn existing environmental and public health or safety standards, but that he and Thompson are prepared to address any ambiguity that may exist. He also said although they do not intend to open the door to extensive litigation over risk assessments and cost-benefit analyses, they are open to suggestions to prevent it from occurring.
Scientific peer review provisions also may be revised to ensure that panelists are independent of conflicts of interest, Levin said. He denied assertions that risk assessment and cost- benefit analysis provisions force the consideration of human and environmental problems in economic terms only.
Thompson said bipartisan cosponsorship of the bill by three former committee chairmen reflects the spirit and intent of the bill, and that he wants to work cooperatively.
A markup schedule has not been determined, a Thompson spokeswoman said.
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