CHARLESTON – U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito has joined 21 other senators in urging President Obama to stop issuing new, non-emergency rules and regulations while his term wraps up.
Capito, a West Virginia Republican, was one of 22 senators to stress they expect to have regulatory relief based on what the American people have dictated with the results of the Nov. 8 election.
“Far-reaching regulations have been a key pillar of this administration, hurting farmers, small businesses, manufacturers and energy producers, Ashley Berrang, communications director for Capito’s office, told The West Virginia Record. “During his final weeks in office, Sen. Capito is calling on President Obama to stop issuing any new regulations that will further hinder economic growth and harm hard-working West Virginians.”
The letter to Obama asks him to take into consideration what the American public has said they want based on electing the Republican Party into office as well as in the executive and legislative branches of the government. The letter reads, “In a clear and direct repudiation of consistent regulatory overreach by federal agencies, the American people have, for the first time since 2007, handed control of both the executive and legislative branches of the government to the same majority.”
The senators, in the letter, have asked that a balance be created between “regulation and free market principals” as a way to create financial success in that the federal government no longer stands in the way of creating.
One of the proposed regulations causing concern for West Virginia is the anti-coal Stream Buffer rule, which is anticipated to be released by the Obama administration before he leaves office. The rule could affect jobs in the state as well as increase energy costs across the nation as it is aimed at banning mining operations that occur near a stream. With West Virginia’s economy dependent on coal, the rule could affect mining operations in the state with the regulations targeted toward it.
“We don’t believe they should do that given that voters have rejected the president’s environmental agenda by electing President-elect Trump and a Republican Congress,” Berrang said.
The letter from the senators also discusses a “flawed approach to governance” that has been rejected by the people in hopes of creating more jobs, growing the economy, and will “help the people who have been overlooked the past eight years,” during Obama’s presidency.
The senators called for Obama to respect the request of the American people and refrain from issuing or working on any new, non-emergency regulations while he carries out his term.
The senators also are concerned about Waters of the United States (WOTUS) regulations, aimed at farmers and ranchers, and the Dodd-Frank rules for financial reforms.
The letter was signed by Republican senators from Arizona, Utah, Nebraska, Wyoming, Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, North Dakota, South Dakota, Mississippi, Florida, Iowa, Texas, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana and Alaska.