GOP senators’ bipartisan bill aims to rein in regulations from unelected federal bureaucrats

Dozens of Republican senators signed on to support the reintroduced Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2019.

S. 92, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), would increase accountability and transparency in the federal regulatory process. U.S. Sens. Joni Ernst (R-IA), Todd Young (R-IN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Pat Roberts (R-KS), Mike Rounds (R-SD), and Deb Fischer (R-NE) are among the 34 original cosponsors of S. 92.

“We must increase transparency and hold regulatory agencies accountable to ensure they are upholding the congressional intent of our nation’s laws,” Sen. Ernst said on Jan. 11. “The REINS Act gives Congress the authority to review sweeping rules and regulations and is a step in the right direction to rein in burdensome, out-of-control government regulations that impact Iowans, and all Americans.”

The bill would require that Congress approve every new “major rule” proposed by the executive branch before it could be enforced, according to Sen. Ernst’s statement. Currently, regulations generally go into effect unless Congress specifically disapproves of them.

S. 92 would define a major rule as one that the Office of Management and Budget determines could result in: an economic impact of $100 million or greater each year; “a major increase in costs or prices” for American consumers, government agencies, regions, or industries; or “significant adverse effects” on the economy, according to the text of the proposed bill.

“We have made significant progress reining in costly, job-killing regulations since I first introduced the REINS Act in the House six years ago,” said Sen. Young, “but we still have more work to do to protect hard-working Americans. I will continue fighting for the passage of this common-sense legislation in the new Congress.”

In the 115th Congress, the same-named legislation, S. 21, passed the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, while the U.S. House of Representatives approved companion legislation, H.R. 26. However, the chambers didn’t reconcile differences in their bills. Hence, the newly introduced S. 92 is again under review by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee during this congressional term.