CLEVELAND, Ohio—A strongly worded conservative GOP platform passed through committee Tuesday. The platform this election cycle included language that would support a Regulation Freedom Amendment.
“We call on Congress to begin reclaiming their constitutional powers from the bureaucratic state by requiring that major new federal regulations be approved by Congress before they can take effect, such as through the Regulation Freedom Amendment.”
Over 900 law makers, six governors, and 19 state legislative chambers endorsed the Regulation Freedom Amendment which says:
“Whenever one quarter of the Members of the U.S. House or the U.S. Senate transmit to the President their written declaration of opposition to a proposed federal regulation, it shall require a majority vote of the House and Senate to adopt that regulation.”
The platform committee will present the final version of the party’s platform to the full Republican National Convention next week and vote on its adoption. RNC Chairman Reince Priebus released a statement Tuesday night saying he was “proud” of the final product.
“I’m proud of the work the delegates have done in drafting our Party’s platform for the 2016 Republican National Convention,” said Priebus. “This platform represents the input of grassroots Republicans from across the country who reaffirmed our Party’s belief in limited constitutional government, family values, and a strong national defense. I thank them for their hard work and service to our Party.”
“The gathering of the Platform Committee is a unique opportunity for us to consider the diverse views for the future held among the millions of Republicans across the country,” said Platform Committee Chair Senator John Barrasso (R-WY). “With the approval of this document, we reaffirm the principles that unite us all: American exceptionalism, the Constitution, and the importance of limiting the burden of government.”
Social conservatives managed to influence the language in the platform in numerous ways. From urging lawmakers to look to Judeo-Christian beliefs as guides when leading the country, to encouraging state lawmakers to give public school students electives that allow the Bible to be studied as a historical document, the socially conservative amendments reflected the GOP’s reaction to changes from the courts and the Obama administration.
“Today, conservative, forward-thinking Republicans strengthened their party’s platform when it came to life, marriage, and religious freedom. The pro-life wording of the platform is the strongest that it has ever been in the history of the Republican Party. Delegates also added language affirming religious freedom rights for all Americans and protected the rights of gay marriage dissenters from punitive and invidious discrimination from the federal government,” American Principles Project’s Terry Schilling said in a statement.
“They also defeated several proposals from a small, well-organized group to weaken the platform’s language on religious freedom and marriage. Today is a good day for all Americans who value the dignity of all human life and our God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” he added.