Smith Statement on Trump Administration’s Disturbingly Vague Regulatory Executive Order
“President Trump continues to sign vague and ill-conceived executive orders that have clearly not been properly considered in a rush to fulfill campaign promises. The executive order related to regulation signed this week is just another gimmick under the guise of reducing regulations. It arbitrarily requires that for every regulation passed, two have to be eliminated. This would wreak havoc on our regulatory system and hurt American businesses that are faced with an unpredictable and unsound regulatory environment. The very first indication that this order was alarmingly unclear and confusing is that the White House itself had to quickly issue a subsequent clarification to explain that independent agencies were exempt from it.
“I support a regulatory environment that focuses on the long term needs of our country, protects the American people from harmful environmental impacts, financial fraud, and unethical labor practices, while allowing us to transform our economy and create the jobs needed to compete globally in the future. A well-functioning agency rulemaking process is critical to that goal. President Trump’s regulatory executive order does not move us closer to that goal, it does just the opposite.”