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Decoding the Bill: Energy Industry Dominates Push for Deregulatory Legislation

Decoding the Bill

Lobbying Records Show That Energy Industry Dominates Push for Deregulatory ‘REINS’ Legislation

August 11, 2011 – Although proponents of the Republicans’ signature anti-regulatory measure claim that it is designed to help small businesses, lobbying disclosure records suggest that the bill primarily stands to benefit just one industry that is made up of particularly large companies: electric utilities.

Lobbying disclosure records reveal that 26 of the 48 industry organizations that lobbied for deregulatory “REINS” legislation in the first half of 2011 were from the energy industry.

The REINS Act would require Congress to vote to approve federal regulations before they take effect. Because federal regulations serve to implement laws, the Act would likely blocking most new health, safety, financial and environmental safeguards.