Bush's Backward Sprint to the Finish: Shady Rules Passed in the Final Days

Posted by Staff, Think Progress at 4:25 AM on November 23, 2008.

In its "sprint to the finish," the Bush administration is working tirelessly to enact or alter a wide array of federal regulations that would weaken government rules protecting consumers, workers, and the environment.

As Rep. Nick Rahall (D-WV), chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, told the Wall Street Journal, "This administration will stop at nothing to jam through as many reckless proposals as they can before the clock runs out."

The Wonk Room and ThinkProgress are keeping a close eye on Bush's Backward Sprint to the Finish, and have compiled a document to keep tabs on both the proposed and already enacted changes. Here are some examples:

Cutting back Medicaid: New rules "narrowed the scope of services that can be provided to poor people under Medicaid's outpatient hospital benefit."

Allowing mining near the Grand Canyon: A proposed rule by the Bureau of Land Management would prevent Congress from ordering emergency withdrawal of federal land from mining claims. The House Natural Resources Committee "issued such a withdrawal order in June for about 1 million acres near the Grand Canyon."

Allowing more emissions from power plants:: The Environmental Protection Agency is "finalizing new air-quality rules that would make it easier to build coal-fired power plants, oil refineries and other major polluters near national parks and wilderness areas" by weakening the Clean Air Act.

Click here to download a pdf of the report.

Let us know in the comments if you come across any more last-minute regulatory changes during Bush's final days in office.

Tagged as: bush, final days, federal regulations