CongressmanBob Goodlatte

Congressman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement upon the House’s passage of the Midnight Rules Relief Act (H.R. 21) by a vote of 238-184.

Goodlatte: “Costly regulations are a burden on the American economy, and should not be used as a political tool by presidential administrations during their last months in office to push regulations that are often broad, costly, and partisan. This additional tool to combat abusive midnight rules will help end the practice of bureaucrats ramming through hastily-considered new regulations after the American people have chosen a new direction for America.

“An end to the abuse of Midnight Rules will stop the current and future administrations from issuing new regulations just to further a political agenda, with costly impacts that could outlast the administration itself.”

Background: The Midnight Rules Relief Act introduced by Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) creates a rapid-response method for Congress to overturn an outgoing presidential administration’s attempts to impose hurried regulations without the transparency and scrutiny expected in normal regulatory implementation. The bill specifically amends the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to allow Congress to overturn multiple midnight rules to more quickly stop midnight rules which are truly problematic – such as those that defy the message sent by the voters or those that have been poorly designed in the haste of the midnight rule period.

The House passed the Midnight Rules Relief Act during the 114th Congress as well.

Click here to learn more about the bill.