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Home > News & Policies > January 2001

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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 20, 2001

Memorandum
January 20, 2001
Memorandum for the Heads and Acting Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

The President has asked me to communicate to each of you his plan for managing the Federal regulatory process at the outset of his Administration.  In order to ensure that the President's appointees have the opportunity to review any new or pending regulations, I ask on behalf of the President that you immediately take the following steps:

1. Subject to any exceptions the Director or Acting Director of the Office of Management and Budget (the "OMB Director") allows for emergency or other urgent situations relating to health and safety, send no proposed or final regulation to the Office of the Federal Register (the "OFR") unless and until a department or agency head appointed by the President after noon on January 20, 2001, reviews and approves the regulatory action.  The department or agency head may delegate this power of review and approval to any other person so appointed by the President, consistent with applicable law.

2. With respect to regulations that have been sent to the OFR but not published in the Federal Register, withdraw them from OFR for review and approval as described in paragraph 1, subject to exception as described in paragraph 1.  This withdrawal must be conducted consistent with the OFR procedures.

3. With respect to regulations that have been published in the OFR but have not taken effect, temporarily postpone the effective date of the regulations for 60 days, subject to exception as described in paragraph 1.

4. Exclude from the requested actions in paragraphs 1-3 any regulations promulgated pursuant to statutory or judicial deadlines and identify such exclusions to the OMB Director as soon as possible.

5. Notify the OMB Director promptly of any regulations that, in your view, impact critical health and safety functions of the agency and therefore should be also excluded from the directives in paragraphs 1-3.  The Director will review any such notifications and determine whether exception is appropriate under the circumstances.

6. Continue in all instances to comply with Executive Order 12866, pending our review of that order, as well as any other applicable Executive Orders concerning regulatory management.

As used in this memorandum, "regulation" has the meaning set out in section 3(e) of Executive Order 12866.  That is, this plan covers "any substantive action by an agency (normally published in the Federal Register) that promulgates or is expected to lead to the promulgation of a final rule or regulation, including notices of inquiry, advance notices of proposed rulemaking, and notices of proposed rulemaking."

This regulatory review will be implemented by the Director or Acting Director of the OMB.  Communications regarding exceptions to the review, or questions regarding the review generally, should be addressed to that individual.

Finally, in the interest of sound regulatory practice and the avoidance of costly, burdensome, or unnecessary regulation, independent agencies are encouraged to participate voluntarily in this review.

This memorandum shall be published in the Federal Register.

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