Trump Quietly Removes Public Comment Tool
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On August 8, the General Services Administration (GSA) quietly removed a tool from Regulations.gov that allows advocacy groups and other third-party organizations to collect and submit public comments to federal agencies. Removing this tool – the POST Application Programming Interface (API) – makes it much harder for individuals and small businesses to weigh in on agency regulatory proposals. Katie Tracy, senior regulatory policy advocate for Public Citizen, issued the following statement:
“Notice and comment is one of the few opportunities most Americans and small businesses have to shape regulations by telling agency officials how proposed rules benefit or hurt them. Removing the POST API sends a clear message that the Trump administration does not want public input on its actions. The GSA must reverse course and reinstate this critical tool immediately.
“The Regulations.gov POST API made it easier for the public to weigh in on federal safeguards by submitting comments via user-friendly third party interfaces. Without the API, anyone who wishes to comment on a regulation will be forced to navigate the complicated system on regulations.gov. This decision hurts individuals and small businesses – and rewards major corporations and their lobbyists who play the inside game to influence policies outside of the notice and comment process.
“Removing the POST API targets people who may need assistance or support with the comment process. It’s often people and businesses that need the most support who have the most unique and valuable insights that agencies need to consider when developing new safeguards.
“This decision is especially significant amid the Trump administration’s efforts to curtail public participation and slash hundreds of safeguards that guarantee clean air and drinking water, safe consumer products, and prevent predatory lending and bank fraud. It’s clear that Trump doesn’t want the public weighing in on these dangerous deregulatory initiatives.”