Huelskamp Supports End of "Sue and Settle"

Statement

In 2015, Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) sponsored H.R. 712, the Sunshine for Regulatory Decrees and Settlements Act of 2015. Today, the House joined him to pass the bill by a vote of 244 -- 173. This bill would stop agencies from creating new, secretive regulations with the technique known as "sue and settle." Currently it is common practice for agencies to bypass Congress by colluding with outside groups to encourage frivolous lawsuits and then settle the suit with newly created over-reaching regulations.

"I cosponsored and voted for this bill to uphold the rule of law. Washington violates our due process rights by using this "sue and settle' scheme to impose oppressive rules and regulations through secret, backroom court deals between unelected bureaucrats, highly-paid environmental lawyers, and friendly liberal judges. The results are attack after attack on our rural way of life.

"These sue and settle tactics were used against rural Americans in 2014 to initiate a process to list the Lesser Prairie Chicken, along with hundreds of other species, as threatened or endangered, in a settlement agreement between Obama's Department of the Interior and 'environmental' organizations. The listing proved that 'sue and settle' is taking the place of legitimate law and sound science. While experts agree that the historic drought choking the Great Plains is the primary cause of the LPC difficulties, and that rain is the only answer, these "sue and settle' mandates instead threaten the private property rights of farmers and ranchers, as well our energy production."

Source