FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                         ENR
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1996                              (202) 514-2008
                                               TDD (202) 514-1888

                                 
     JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS TESTIFY BEFORE CONGRESS ON
                   REGULATORY FAIR WARNING ACT

       Ability To Protect Environment, Citizens' Health and
                   Safety Among Primary Concerns


     WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Deputy Assistant Attorney General James
F. Simon of the Justice Department's Environment and Natural
Resources Division, and United States Attorney for the Eastern
District of Missouri Edward L. Dowd, Jr., testified today before
the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on Commercial and
Administrative Law on the Department's position regarding H.R.
3307, the Regulatory Fair Warning Act.

     In its current form, the Act would:

     þ    create new legal defenses to civil and criminal law
          enforcement, making it more difficult for the federal
          government to uniformly enforce the nation's laws in a
          fair and just manner;

     þ    hinder prosecution of violations of any federal
          regulation including those pertaining to environmental
          protection, workplace safety, food safety and health
          care fraud;

     þ    create what is known as the "mistake of law" defense
          allowing defendants to claim ignorance of the law as a
          means of avoiding punishment.


                               ###

     For a copy of the full testimony, call the United States
Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs at (202) 514-2008.

96-207