Dudley nomination to regulatory post in doubt

By M.Z. HEMINGWAY

December 05, 2006

The Senate will not vote on President Bush’s pick to head regulatory policy before the end of this Congress, casting the nomination into doubt.

Because of a lack of time and opposition from Democrats, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who chairs the committee considering the nomination, decided not to bring the nomination to a vote this month by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, according to press secretary Jen Burita.

Susan Dudley, who was nominated to head the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) at the Office of Management and Budget, drew intense scorn from environmental and public safety groups who say she is an anti-regulatory extremist. Dudley’s critics have lambasted her over comments she made against increased energy standards for consumer appliances, more stringent fuel economy regulations and limiting the sale of genetically modified foods.