| | Bush aides push for rule to hamper worker health protections
UPDATE: Bush's last-minute rule may violate his own guidelines.
 Bush administration aides are rushing to pass a safety rule which would make government regulation of workers' exposure to toxic chemicals more difficult -- a rule President-elect Barack Obama opposes.
Public health officials worry the decreased protections will result in additional, unnecessary deaths.
It is just one of about 20 controversial Labor Department proposals being pushed by large business interests, according to a published report.
The delayed timing of President Bush's proposals appears to violate a memorandum issued in early May by Joshua B. Bolten, the White House chief of staff, The New York Times reported.
"Except in extraordinary circumstances," Mr. Bolten wrote, "regulations to be finalized in this administration should be proposed no later than June 1, 2008, and final regulations should be issued no later than Nov. 1, 2008."
Neither the Labor Department nor the Bush administration have cited any extraordinary circumstances for the proposals, which were published in the Federal Register on Aug. 29.
The other proposals would allow power plants to be built closer to parks and wildlife preserves, and would further limit the role of environmental and animal experts in determining where major infrastructure projects may be carried out.
President-elect Obama has long been critical of the Bush administration's removal of workplace protections. During the campaign, Obama co-sponsored legislation which would prohibit this specific deregulation.
While presidents have the authority to unilaterally repeal their predecessor's executive orders, the process to remove or add regulations is more complicated and takes longer. Obama has already undertaken a review of President Bush's executive orders, with the stated goal being the repeal of those he deems to be unconstitutional.
"I think across the board, on stem cell research, on a number of areas, you see the Bush administration even today moving aggressively to do things that I think are probably not in the interest of the country,” said John Podesta, co-chair of Obama's transition team. "I think that’s a mistake.”
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