WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 427, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, an important step in reeling in Washington’s out-of-control regulatory machine:
Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 427, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, an important step in reeling in Washington’s out-of-control regulatory machine:
“Sadly, over the past few decades, Congress has been complicit in relinquishing its Constitutional ability to put the brakes on the executive branch. Today, under the Obama Administration, we have seen an unprecedented level of regulations enacted by unaccountable, bureaucratic federal agencies with little to no input from Congress. This regulatory nightmare is killings jobs, causing significant harm to our economy and causing more and more small businesses to have to shut their doors.
“This dangerous precedent should scare all Americans, Republicans and Democrats alike. It’s far past time for Congress to take a stand and take back its Constitutional power. This administration continues to diminish our Republic by circumventing Congress and ruling by executive fiat. We need bold action from our elected leaders in order to buck the status quo and I intend to continue working tirelessly to see this important legislation signed into law.”
Background:
From the Republican Study Committee: H.R. 427 would amend the Congressional Review Act of 1996 (CRA) to require a joint resolution of approval signed into law within 70 days before an executive branch agency’s major rule can take effect.
At the end of 2014, new regulations issued under President Obama filled 486,500 pages of the federal register. An additional 2,375 rules are expected to be proposed by the Administration in 2015 alone.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that over the last five years, the Obama Administration has issued 82 “major rules” – or rules with more than $100 million in economic impact – each year.
The price businesses pay to comply with complicated regulations is around $1.86 trillion each year, according to a 2014 report from the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
