The resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw a notice that reduces public input on regulations, maintaining existing practices for public involvement.
Ron Wyden
Senator
OR
This resolution urges the Secretary of Health and Human Services to withdraw a notice that reduces public notice and comment opportunities. It emphasizes the importance of public participation in the regulatory process, particularly for regulations impacting millions of Americans. The resolution supports maintaining existing practices that ensure input from various stakeholders when regulatory changes are proposed.
Senate Tells HHS: Don't Shorten Public Input Time on New Rules
The Senate has formally expressed its view that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) should reverse a recent move that cuts down the public's opportunity to weigh in on proposed regulations. This resolution argues that hearing from the public is vital for crafting effective and fair policies, especially since HHS rules impact healthcare, social services, and more for millions of Americans. It specifically asks the HHS Secretary to pull back a notice published on March 3, 2025, which reduced these feedback windows, and stick to the more open public comment practices that were in place as of February 27, 2025.
Why Your Feedback on Rules Actually Matters
Think of major government regulations like big software updates for society – they can change how things work for a lot of people. For decades, agencies like HHS have generally followed a process outlined in the Administrative Procedure Act (APA). This usually involves giving the public notice about a proposed rule change and a comment period – a window of time where anyone (you, me, advocacy groups, businesses, local governments) can submit feedback, point out potential problems, or suggest improvements. This resolution highlights HHS's own 54-year track record of using this process. The idea is simple: the people affected by the rules, or those who deliver the services (like doctors, hospitals, social workers), often have valuable real-world insights that policymakers in Washington might miss. Cutting this feedback loop short could mean rules get finalized without fully considering their practical impact on everyday lives – whether that's changes to health insurance coverage, updates to food assistance programs, or new guidelines for medical treatments.
The Specifics: What HHS Changed and What the Senate Wants Back
This resolution pinpoints a specific action: a notice HHS put out on March 3, 2025, that effectively limits the chance for public input compared to how things were done just days before, on February 27, 2025. The Senate isn't creating a new law here; it's using its platform to strongly encourage the head of HHS to withdraw that March 3rd notice. The goal is to maintain the status quo from late February, ensuring that beneficiaries, state and local officials, service providers, and relevant organizations continue to have a meaningful chance to analyze proposed rules and make their voices heard before they become final.
The Upshot: Keeping Government Accountable
Ultimately, this resolution is about transparency and accountability in how government operates. It underscores the principle that regulations affecting vast numbers of people shouldn't be developed in a vacuum. By urging HHS to preserve robust public comment periods, the Senate is signaling the importance of keeping the doors open for input from those who will experience the effects of HHS policies firsthand. It's a push to ensure the rulemaking process includes checks and balances informed by public experience.