Republicans are launching their assault on environmental, health and other federal regulations by asking a top White House aide to explain what President Barack Obama means when he says that he too wants to erase rules that hurt businesses and cost jobs.
Cass Sunstein, who heads the White House office that reviews regulations, was to testify Wednesday before a GOP-run House committee. Republicans have vowed to eliminate rules that harm the economy as they try to whittle big government down to size.
Though Republicans and Democrats both say they want to eliminate needless regulations, the hearing is likely to underscore their differences over which rules hurt business and which help the public.
These include rules limiting greenhouse gas emissions and rules to implement the new financial and health care overhauls.