President Obama has selected Harvard professor Cass R. Sunstein as the new head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) and Sunstein’s long-standing positions on animal rights and open dislike for hunting has alarm bells ringing for many sportsmen.
The OIRA may not be a household name, but the department has significant power over regulations coming from federal agencies. As a part of the federal budget office, the OIRA has the extensive authority to perform data based cost/benefit analyses of all new federal regulations. While the OIRA cannot issue opinions on the proposed regulations, it can block rules if it deems supporting data to be insufficient.
Sunstein has extensive public record of supporting animal rights and has even suggested the banning of hunting. So many sportsmen and legislators are concerned with the possibility of pro- hunting, fishing and trapping regulations of never seeing the light of day due to ‘administrative technicalities.’
Sunstein has a long record advocating animal rights and has even gone so far as to say that “we might ban hunting altogether, at least if it’s sole purpose is human recreation.” As the editor of a well-known 2004 book on animal rights, Animal Rights: Current Debates and New Directions; he compiled legal arguments made by numerous leaders of the movement and has suggested it makes sense to begin “allowing suits on behalf of animals.”
Time will tell whether Sunstein’s appointment will have any impact on sportsmen, but as with all things concerning governmental legislation and regulations, sportsmen should be ever vigilant on issues and the people who can impact our industry and American traditions of hunting and conservation.
