The House voted 221-210 to pass the Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny Act. Introduced by Rep. Kat Cammack , the legislation seeks to hand Congress more power over the rulemaking process, which proponents say has been used excessively to enact sweeping changes in the United States without the backing of lawmakers.
The REINS Act describes a “major rule” as any federal rule or regulation that would cause an annual economic effect in excess of $100 million, a major increase in consumer prices, or adverse effects on competition, employment, and investment, among other criteria. The REINS Act would fundamentally change how presidential administrations use the federal bureaucracy, given that any major changes would be subject to congressional oversight.
Critics of the REINS Act say it would hamstring the federal government and make the regulatory process more cumbersome. The White House argued in a veto threat that the legislation would add to the regulatory process an “unwieldy, unnecessary, and time-consuming hurdle that would prevent implementation of critical safeguards that protect public safety, grow our economy, and advance the public interest.