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Normative Canons In The Review Of Administrative Policymaking, Kenneth A. Bamberger

Kenneth A. Bamberger

Who should ensure that statutes are interpreted to reflect background norms left unaddressed by Congress-- norms like respect for the rights of regulated parties, protection of the interests of states and Native American tribes, avoidance of government bias, and the separation of powers? On the one hand, courts have traditionally sought to protect these constitutionally inspired values by applying "normative" canons of construction. On the other hand, after the Supreme Court's Chevron decision, authority to interpret unclear regulatory statutes generally belongs not to judges, but to agencies. This question has polarized courts and commentators. A majority, including the Supreme Court, …