Regulators Must Stop Non-Coronavirus Rulemaking Now
By Better Markets
Today, Better Markets joined a coalition of dozens of public interest organizations calling on agencies and other federal government bodies to suspend all rulemakings that are not connected to the response of COVID-19. The health and welfare of the American people are currently under unprecedented and grave threats. Their lives and work are undergoing disruptions that will likely persist for months. Federal agencies and public servants must devote all their energy, creativity and capacity to help consumers, retirees, savers, and small businesses to survive then thrive after COVID-19. They must not use the unprecedented crisis to weaken the rules or serve other narrow interests of some in the financial industry. Read that letter here.
Relatedly, last week, Better Markets and nearly 50 other public interest organizations joined together to request that the comment period for all pending regulatory proposals be tolled (extended) by at least 90 days in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Public interest organizations—dedicated to fighting for the welfare of the American people—must be able to engage regulators in timely and informed fashion to ensure that policies crafted in the name of the American people in fact serve their current needs. In order to ensure that the rulemaking process remains transparent and fair, and that those who offer their views to regulators do so in an informed and thoughtful manner, federal agencies must give more time to the public to be able to review and comment on these rules. Read that letter here.
These activities are in addition to the many other actions Better Markets has done since March (start of the crisis). Read our latest newsletter that briefly covers those activities.