WASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Brat (R-Va.) issued the following statement after voting in favor of H.R. 21, the Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017, and H.R. 26, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act to limit the executive branch from usurping Congressional authority to create new rules and regulations:
"By passing this critical legislation, Congress is ensuring that last-minute Obama administration regulations do not usurp the power of Congress to create laws. The Midnight Rules Relief Act and the REINS Act returns the power to create laws back to Congress as it is written in Article I of the United States Constitution."
"Between the Department of Labor, EPA, FDA, and the alphabet soup of other federal agencies, the executive branch has created a maze of regulations that are nearly impossible to comply with and have been driving folks out of business. Americans want accountability in their government, and we cannot continue to allow unelected bureaucrats to create rules and regulations from their desks. I was proud to vote in favor of both bills."
H.R. 21, the Midnight Rules Relief Act would allow Congress to disapprove of executive regulations en bloc for any regulations submitted within 60 legislative days of the end of a presidential term. Currently, Congress can only use the Congressional Review Act to disapprove one regulation at a time.
H.R. 26, the REINS Act would require congressional approval of any major agency regulations before they can go into effect. A major regulation is one that would have an impact on the United States economy of $100 million or more.
Rep. Brat is a cosponsor of the REINS Act, and also voted in favor of both bills during the 114th Congress.
