WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa cosponsored legislation this week requiring greater congressional scrutiny of proposed rules and regulations issued by agencies within the executive branch.  

The Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which was introduced by Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky on Wednesday, requires congressional approval before enacting regulatory proposals that carry an annual economic impact of $100 million or more. Regulations of this size are considered by the White House Office of Management and Budget to be “major rules.”

“For too long, American businesses of all shapes and sizes have struggled under the ever-increasing burden of federal regulations and bureaucratic red tape.  The new Congress brings with it a new opportunity to take a close look at the true impact of an unchecked regulatory system, and to consider common sense solutions that seek to restore accountability and transparency to the rulemaking process.  Key reform measures like the REINS Act will help alleviate the regulatory burden on our economy, paving the way for increased investment, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

“Executive Branch agencies should be held accountable for unnecessary and costly regulations, especially those that hurt the economic wellbeing of American families and businesses. The REINS Act will shed light on the true cost of regulatory proposals and provides a greater voice to the American people by empowering their representatives to put the brakes on potentially harmful regulations before they can take effect,” Grassley said.

Grassley has long been supportive of efforts to reduce the burden of federal regulations on Americans.  President Obama’s own Small Business Administration calculated in 2011 that federal regulations cost American families $1.7 trillion annually.  The number of federal rules has only increased since then—26,417 new regulations were issued in 2013 alone.  Grassley has been especially critical of expensive, stringent standards placed on rural America by the EPA.  He's also raised questions about the executive branch bypassing congress through new regulations to enact policy that congress never intended.

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