Walberg bill to curb so-called “Midnight Rules” passes House committee (AUDIO)

Congressman Tim Walberg’s bill to prevent a surge in federal regulations during a lame duck session cleared the Oversight and Government Reform Committee today. Walberg says the Midnight Rule Relief Act would prevent the adding of significant regulations between Election Day and Inauguration Day.   Regardless of political party, midnight regulations have noticeably increased during the transition time between new administrations, nearly doubling in 2000 and 2008 from the non-midnight average.    Placing a moratorium on midnight regulations is a concept that has been raised by both Republicans and Democrats. Senator Harry Reid and Congressman Jerry Nadler, for example, introduced bills in 2008 and 2009 that opposed midnight rules from going into effect in the closing days of the Bush Administration.