ScottSteward
Active member
Your semantics are not correct here. While there is a difference between statutes and regulations, it is all *law*. More importantly, for a lay person and as a practical matter, it's a distinction without a difference. In a case like this, involving a goverenmental agency, a statute is the bare bones enabler. The regulations are the meat and potatoes.
In fact, there is an entire body of law dedicated to the interpretation of regulations. It's called Administrative Law. They have their own judges and everything. The are called Administrative Law Judges.
When I spoke to the AMA VP last week, he explained to me that "regulation" and "law" are not synonymous. It's a difference between who enacts it. By Federal definition, a regulation can only become a "law" if passed by Congress or Senate.
Also by Federal definition, in order for something to become law, it must be proposed as a "bill". This is only a "proposal".
The two words theoretically mean the same thing but always remember, it's Government - they love to complicate everything- including vocabulary.
This is at least how it explained to me last week.
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