COLUMN: Let’s Cut Regulations in the 115th Congress

I recently launched a project to cut unnecessary, overly burdensome rules from the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), and I need your help. 

The current CFR is over 75,000 pages long and full of regulations that are ridiculous, as well as regulations that are unnecessary and continue to stunt economic growth across our nation.

For example, did you know that it is a federal crime to leave the U.S. with more than $25 worth of nickels in your pocket? Or that it’s illegal to sell mixed nuts if the nuts pictured on the label aren’t in decreasing size order? These are examples of some of the absurd regulations you’ll find in the CFR, but there are also federal rules that continue to kill jobs and hurt families, like the employer health insurance mandate, red tape that prevents veterans from getting medical care, and extreme energy efficiency standards that make refrigerators and hot water unaffordable.

I started the Cut The Code Project, so we can take a hard look at the CFR and cut the regulations that are overly burdensome or just downright ridiculous. I firmly believe that some federal regulations are necessary for keeping our communities safe, but our regulatory environment has grown out of control.

The CFR is made up of the rules and regulations that the Executive Branch develops to enforce the laws in the U.S. Code. We’ve repeatedly seen the Obama Administration overstep its authority and issue regulations that go well beyond the scope of the U.S. Code. Now, we have an opportunity to roll back the current regulatory regime that is holding our country back.

I want to hear from constituents who may have experienced the negative effects of ridiculous or overly burdensome regulations. My team and I will take a look at the appropriate statutes and history of the regulation, and we’ll determine if we can introduce legislation to cut it.

There is a form on my website, www.tipton.house.gov, where you can submit your ideas. And you can also share your ideas with my Washington, DC, office by calling 202-225-4761. If you’d like to view the CFR, you can access it online at www.ecfr.gov.

I look forward to reading your ideas!