Ayotte Helps Lead Effort to Stop Burdensome Washington Red Tape

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) announced today that she is an original co-sponsor of legislation aimed at bringing accountability and transparency to the federal regulatory process. The "Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act" would give Congress the ability to scrutinize -- and approve -- major new rules promulgated by the executive branch.

"Congress has relinquished too much of its authority to unelected bureaucrats in the executive branch," said Ayotte. "We all know that burdensome federal regulations can pose enormous challenges for businesses, as well as state and local governments. By giving Congress oversight authority over major new executive branch rules, we can take an important step toward stopping the proliferation of heavy-handed Washington mandates."

Under the REINS Act, Congress would be required to affirmatively approve every new major rule proposed by the executive branch before it can be enforced on the American people. A "major rule' is defined as one that the Office of Management and Budget determines has resulted in -- or is likely to result in -- an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, federal, state, or local government agencies, or geographic regions; and significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or on the ability of United States-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and export markets. The bill retains existing law permitting Congress to disapprove non-major rules.

The REINS Act was formally introduced Monday evening by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY). In addition to Ayotte, the legislation is being co-sponsored by Senators Jim DeMint (R-SC), John Ensign (R-NV), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Roy Blunt (R-MO), John Thune (R-SD), Mike Enzi (R-WY), John Cornyn (R-TX), Orrin Hatch (R-UT), David Vitter (R-LA), Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Rob Portman (R-OH), John Boozman (R-AR), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Mike Lee (R-UT), Mike Johanns (R-NE), and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX).

Source