Announcement by the Acting Chair
Floor Speech
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Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
We talk a lot about transparency and accountability around here. We hear about transparency and accountability needs from our constituents regarding the Federal Government. It is time to quit just talking the talk and walk the talk.
The question is: How do rulemakers get their conclusions? How do they come to a decision when they are working on rules and regulations?
They have certain science and data and criteria and analyses that they look at, but we don't often get to see that. We hear their conclusions, and we wonder: How did they get to that conclusion? They used science, data, and analyses.
My amendment simply says that those scientific tools, data, and analyses have to be made public and just posted online. It is pretty simple. The data they used needs to go online so we can see it all as well and have the same benchmark and be on the same page. Why shouldn't Americans have access to this as well? Why shouldn't we have a more transparent government? Just post a link on the Internet. Let's walk the talk on transparency.
This amendment has been approved before as part of the REINS Act that passed 249-159. Now, the REINS Act looked at the whole Federal Government, but this amendment just pertains to the Department of Transportation. I urge my colleagues to support this amendment. It is common sense. It is what our constituents demand--common sense and transparency.
I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. Madam Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I heard my friend from the other side talk about the SEC and Dodd-Frank and executive orders. We are just, really, talking about any rules and regulations pertaining to this act--the transportation bill, primarily the Department of Transportation.
I believe that it is very important that we have more transparency and accountability in government. I do not see what is wrong with the American people being allowed to see the data, the cost-benefit analyses, the science, and the criteria of those who make these rules. What is so wrong with that, with being on the same page?
I simply ask my colleagues to support this amendment. Transparency and accountability, we talk about it a lot, but we don't do enough of it. I have some other great transparency and accountability amendments, and we will worry about those later. Right now, I am asking my colleagues to support transparency and accountability. Let the American people see how we make decisions that affect their lives.
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Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Transparency is a good thing. Shining sunlight is a good thing. It is the best disinfectant out there.
Why can't we know, the American people, the science and the cost benefit behind the rules and regulations that are inflicted upon the American people, good or bad, whatever they are?
Madam Chairman, the other side, my friend mentioned the Ex-Im Bank. I am not in that battle with this amendment. This is just about general rules and regulations, the science behind them. Why can't the American people know what it is? We will all be on the same playing field, so we know what we are talking about. It is a good thing.
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Mr. YOUNG of Iowa. Madam Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
So we can't find out what the science is. At the same time, we don't even know who these nameless, faceless folks are in the bureaucracy who are putting out these rules and regulations. Why are we to be left in the dark? What is wrong with transparency? Sunlight is the best disinfectant. The American people are tired of this, are tired about this veil around our government.
I don't care what administration it is, Republican, Democrat, why should it matter. I put my name on a bill and amendment. You do, too. These rules and regulations that come out, we have no idea who these people are. They could be very well intended and that is fine. We don't know what their titles are either. Are they experts in their fields? We don't know. Where is the transparency?
This amendment passed in a bipartisan way before. I am asking for my colleagues to support it this time.
I yield back the balance of my time.
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