Newhouse Leads 37 Members in Demanding Documents on Biden Administration’s Actions to Decrease Government Transparency

WASHINGTON, D.C. –– Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) and Rep. James Comer (R-KY), Ranking Member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, led 36 Western Caucus Members and Oversight Republicans in sending letters to U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan regarding the Biden Administration’s recent rescinding of policies at both agencies that had promoted transparency and taxpayer protections regarding “sue and settle” agreements.

“The practice of ‘sue and settle’ allows special interest groups to achieve regulatory goals through litigation – in secret – and bypass the legislative and regulatory process,” wrote the lawmakers. “The Biden Administration’s decision to reverse course and allow special interest groups to make policy without stakeholder input is troubling.”

The lawmakers continued, “The agency claims to be fair, transparent, and efficient, but its order favors special interest groups over the American people.”

“Sue and settle” agreements interfere with the ability of all relevant industry stakeholders and the public to both be informed and provide insight on proposed regulatory decisions. The Trump Administration enacted orders to limit the use of “sue and settle” agreements and to ensure visibility into the process, but the Biden Administration recently rescinded these orders. The letters request documents and communications within and among the agencies, White House, and outside interest groups that may have played a role in the decision.

You can read the full letter to Interior Secretary Haaland here and the full letter to EPA Administrator Regan here.

###