Overnight Regulation: House votes to delay EPA climate rule

Welcome to OVERNIGHT REGULATION, your daily rundown of news from Capitol Hill and beyond. It’s Wednesday evening here in Washington, and here’s the latest:

 

THE BIG STORY

The House voted Wednesday to delay the EPA’s controversial climate rule for power plants and allow states to opt out of complying under certain conditions. The bill was passed in a 247-180 vote, weakening President Obama’s efforts to combat climate change.

The Ratepayer Protection Act introduced by Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) would allow states to opt out of the rule if they determine it would raise electricity prices or interfere with power reliability.

{mosads}The legislation comes in response to the EPA’s controversial climate rule that would require power plants to cut carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2030. 

Democrats say the rule helps counter the negative effects of climate change, but Republicans have attacked the rule as a “power grab” by the Obama administration.

“It is a radical regulation that will dramatically transform the way electricity is produced and regulated in America,” said Whitfield.

Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), the top Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, accused Republicans of trying to weaken decades-old clean air protections.

But Republicans questioned the notion of climate change. “If there were a real environmental reason that we needed to implement this, it’d be one thing,” said Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas).

The Senate has similar legislation. But even if Congress passes the bill it faces a threatened veto from Obama.

Click here to read more from The Hill’s Timothy Cama and Cristina Marcos: http://bit.ly/1dgU7c7

 

ON TAP FOR THURSDAY

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee will hold a hearing to discuss the U.S. country of origin labeling rule and trade retaliation. http://nyti.ms/1Rx4c29

The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet to discuss criminal justice reform. http://1.usa.gov/1KaRN3p

The House Financial Services’ Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee will hold a hearing to examine ongoing allegations of discrimination and retaliation at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. http://1.usa.gov/1dgR1or

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee will meet to mark up the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act of 2015; the Protecting our Infants Act of 2015; and the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2015. http://1.usa.gov/1Lopf54

 

TOMORROW’S REGS TODAY

The Obama administration will publish 172 new regulations, proposed rules, notices, and other administrative actions in Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register.

Here’s what to watch for:

–The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) will streamline its rulemaking process.

The NHTSA says it will skip the proposed rule stage and instead issue direct final rules on non-controversial issues “on which the agency expects it would receive no adverse public comment.”

The NHTSA anticipates this will “expedite the promulgation of routine and noncontroversial rules.”

“This limitation means that NHTSA will not use direct final rule procedures for amendments involving complex or controversial issues,” the agency wrote. 

The changes go into effect immediately. http://bit.ly/1LCksNI

–The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will issue new guidance for injectable drugs and biological products.

“This guidance clarifies FDA requirements and regulations pertaining to allowable excess volume in injectable vials and reinforces the importance of appropriate fill volumes and labeled vial fill sizes for injectable drug and biological products,” the agency writes. http://bit.ly/1HeLjS2

–The Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue new electronic reporting requirements for imported commodities.

Importers will be allowed to apply for an exemption online.

The move finalizes an interim rule.

The changes go into effect on June 29. http://bit.ly/1IzfWfP

–The Department of Defense (DOD) will issue new rules for special education and early intervention services for military children with disabilities.

The changes go into effect in 30 days. http://bit.ly/1LCknti

 

NEWS RIGHT NOW

Immigrants: The Obama administration is seeking to end a policy of keeping families who illegally immigrated to the U.S. in detention centers for months on end while they await word on whether they can stay. http://bit.ly/1GyZeMg

Sesame seeds: Senate Democrats are calling on the Obama administration to issue a mandatory labeling rule for products that contain sesame or sesame seeds. http://bit.ly/1NbReFW

Guns: Gun-rights activists are challenging whether Americans living abroad can purchase firearms in a case that could have major implications for the Second Amendment. http://bit.ly/1LoD5qs

Animals: The Obama administration is considering amending its reporting requirements for research facilities that use animals for tests and experiments. http://bit.ly/1KaQtxs

Putin: Russian President Vladimir Putin has extended the ban on U.S. and European food imports for another year. http://bit.ly/1NipIqX

Conversion therapy: A jury in Jersey City is set to begin deliberating the case of a nonprofit that offers so-called “gay conversion” therapy, the AP reports. http://bit.ly/1Lv9eO6

Federal contractor: Lawmakers questioned a sole-source contractor that allegedly employed drunk and high workers in Afghanistan during a House committee hearing on Wednesday, The Washington-Post reports. http://wapo.st/1Lv9sET

Same-sex marriage: If the Supreme Court this month finds a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, religious schools say they will either have to abandon their policies that prohibit gay relationships or eventually risk losing their tax-exempt status, The New York Times reports. http://nyti.ms/1Rx4c29

 

BY THE NUMBERS

$2 billion: How much more the federal government is spending on the national school lunch program in 2014 compared to 2010 following implementation of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act.

1.2 million: How many students stopped participating in the school lunch program between the 2010-2011 school year and the 2012-2013 school year.

$3.2 billion: How much states and schools are expected to spend by 2016 complying with the school nutrition standards.

 

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“In the wake of Charleston, we must admit to our nation’s gun problem and begin doing something — anything — about it,” — Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-Fla.), as Republicans kept in place a ban on CDC funding for gun violence research.

 

We’ll work to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s Regulation page (http://digital-release.thehill.com/regulation) early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or regulatory news tips our way, tdevaney@digital-release.thehill.com or lwheeler@digital-release.thehill.com. And follow us at @timdevaney and@wheelerlydia.

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