U.S. Senators Mike Rounds and Rand Paul, along with 16 other Senate colleagues, have reintroduced the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act. The proposed legislation aims to shift power away from federal agencies and back to Congress, addressing concerns over regulatory costs.
Senator Rounds highlighted the financial burden imposed by federal rulings, stating that “In 2024, rulings coming out of federal agencies cost American taxpayers nearly $1.4 trillion in regulatory costs.” He emphasized the need for oversight to prevent expansion of administrative authority following the repeal of the Chevron doctrine.
Senator Paul expressed concern about unapproved regulations affecting citizens’ lives: “The whims of an unaccountable administrative state should never rule our lives.”
The REINS Act requires major rules drafted by government agencies to receive approval from both chambers of Congress and be signed by the President before taking effect. A “major” rule is defined as one with an economic impact of $100 million or more annually or significant adverse effects on the economy.
Forbes reported that 2024 saw nearly half of all final rule costs recorded since 2005, totaling approximately $1.4 trillion.
The bill is cosponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn, Katie Britt, Ted Budd, Kevin Cramer, Mike Crapo, Steve Daines, Chuck Grassley, James Lankford, Mike Lee, Cynthia Lummis, Bernie Moreno, James Risch, Rick Scott, Tim Sheehy, Tommy Tuberville and Eric Schmitt.
