HR 142
Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2025
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Bill overview
This bill, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2025, aims to increase accountability and transparency in the federal regulatory process. It establishes a congressional approval process for ‘major rules’ – those with a significant economic impact or other substantial effects – requiring a joint resolution of approval before they can take effect. The bill defines ‘major rules’ based on factors like economic impact and potential costs, while generally preserving the existing congressional review process for non-major rules. It also includes provisions for reporting requirements and judicial review limitations.
Key provisions
- Requires a joint resolution of approval for ‘major rules’ before they can take effect.
- Defines ‘major rules’ based on economic impact ($100 million or more), significant costs, or adverse effects on competition.
- Establishes a reporting requirement for agencies, including data, cost-benefit analyses, and a classification of the rule.
- Requires the Comptroller General to assess agency compliance and the rule’s impact.
- Preserves the existing congressional review process for non-major rules.
- Includes a 90-day exemption for rule implementation in emergency situations.
- Specifies procedures for joint resolutions of approval, including title and content requirements.
- Mandates a study by the GAO to assess the number and economic cost of existing rules.
Who is affected
- Federal Agencies
- Congress
- The Public
- Businesses
- Consumers
Sponsors
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Primary sponsor
Cosponsors
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119th CONGRESS — 1st Session
H. R. 142
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
A BILL
To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law.
This Act may be cited as the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2025
.
The purpose of this Act is to increase accountability for and transparency in the Federal regulatory process. Section 1 of article I of the United States Constitution grants all legislative powers to Congress. Over time, Congress has excessively delegated its constitutional charge while failing to conduct appropriate oversight and retain accountability for the content of the laws it passes. By requiring a vote in Congress, the REINS Act will result in more carefully drafted and detailed legislation, an improved regulatory process, and a legislative branch that is truly accountable to the American people for the laws imposed upon them.
Chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, is amended to read as follows:
a list of any other related regulatory actions intended to implement the same statutory provision or regulatory objective as well as the individual and aggregate economic effects of those actions; and
the proposed effective date of the rule.
before the date the Congress is scheduled to adjourn a session of Congress through the date on which the same or succeeding Congress first convenes its next session, sections 802 and 803 shall apply to such rule in the succeeding session of Congress.
after the succeeding session of Congress first convenes; and
Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to affect the requirement under subsection (a)(1) that a report shall be submitted to Congress before a rule can take effect.
For purposes of this section, the term joint resolution means only a joint resolution addressing a report classifying a rule as major pursuant to section 801(a)(1)(A)(iii) that—
bears no preamble;
bears the following title (with blanks filled as appropriate): Approving the rule submitted by ___ relating to ___.
;
includes after its resolving clause only the following (with blanks filled as appropriate): That Congress approves the rule submitted by ___ relating to ___.
; and
is introduced pursuant to paragraph (2).
After a House of Congress receives a report classifying a rule as major pursuant to section 801(a)(1)(A)(iii), the majority leader of that House (or his or her respective designee) shall introduce (by request, if appropriate) a joint resolution described in paragraph (1)—
in the case of the House of Representatives, within 3 legislative days; and
in the case of the Senate, within 3 session days.
A joint resolution described in paragraph (1) shall not be subject to amendment at any stage of proceeding.
A joint resolution described in subsection (a) shall be referred in each House of Congress to the committees having jurisdiction over the provision of law under which the rule is issued.
In the Senate, when the committee or committees to which a joint resolution is referred have reported, or when a committee or committees are discharged (under subsection (c)) from further consideration of a joint resolution described in subsection (a), it is at any time thereafter in order (even though a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) for a motion to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution, and all points of order against the joint resolution (and against consideration of the joint resolution) are waived. The motion is not subject to amendment, or to a motion to postpone, or to a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution is agreed to, the joint resolution shall remain the unfinished business of the Senate until disposed of.
In the Senate, debate on the joint resolution, and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than 2 hours, which shall be divided equally between those favoring and those opposing the joint resolution. A motion to further limit debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit the joint resolution is not in order.
In the Senate, immediately following the conclusion of the debate on a joint resolution described in subsection (a), and a single quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if requested in accordance with the rules of the Senate, the vote on final passage of the joint resolution shall occur.
Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the Senate to the procedure relating to a joint resolution described in subsection (a) shall be decided without debate.
If, before passing a joint resolution described in subsection (a), one House receives from the other a joint resolution having the same text, then—
the joint resolution of the other House shall not be referred to a committee; and
the procedure in the receiving House shall be the same as if no joint resolution had been received from the other House until the vote on passage, when the joint resolution received from the other House shall supplant the joint resolution of the receiving House.
If either House has not taken a vote on final passage of the joint resolution by the last day of the period described in section 801(b)(2), then such vote shall be taken on that day.
This section and section 803 are enacted by Congress—
as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively, and as such are deemed to be part of the rules of each House, respectively, but applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in that House in the case of a joint resolution described in subsection (a) and superseding other rules only where explicitly so; and
with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House to change the rules (so far as they relate to the procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that House.
That Congress disapproves the nonmajor rule submitted by the ___ relating to ___ , and such rule shall have no force or effect.(The blank spaces being appropriately filled in).
A joint resolution described in subsection (a) shall be referred to the committees in each House of Congress with jurisdiction.
The joint resolution of the other House shall not be referred to a committee.
For purposes of this chapter:
an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more;
a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, Federal, State, or local government agencies, or geographic regions; or
significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of United States-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and export markets.
in the case of a major rule, the date on which the Congress receives the report submitted under section 801(a)(1); and
in the case of a nonmajor rule, the later of—
the date on which the nonmajor rule is published in the Federal Register, if so published.
Nothing in this chapter shall apply to rules that concern monetary policy proposed or implemented by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the Federal Open Market Committee.
Notwithstanding section 801—
Section 257(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 907(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
how many rules (as such term is defined in section 804 of title 5, United States Code) were in effect;
the total estimated economic cost imposed by all such rules.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to Congress that contains the findings of the study conducted under subsection (a).