Congress Opens with Introduction of REINS Act

WASHINGTON—Congressman Doug Collins introduced H.R. 26, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, today in one of the first acts of the 115^th Congress. As Republicans prepare to lead a unified government for the first time since 2006, upcoming bills demonstrate that they have made regulatory reform a priority.

Currently, executive agencies can unilaterally enact rules that have major economic consequences for Americans. The REINS Act would require all new major rules—those that have an impact of $100 million or more—to be approved by both Congress and the president.

“The REINS Act is one of the first bills of this Congress to target the regulatory abuses of the executive branch. For too long, executive overreach has fostered burdensome regulations that hamper growth at the expense of hardworking Americans. It’s time Congress reasserts its Constitutional authority to legislate, rather than letting unelected bureaucrats institute rules that impact the economy to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars,” said Congressman Collins.

“This legislation signals our commitment, as a party, to modeling reform that puts smart policy above tired politicking, and I’m excited to see it come to the House floor later this week.”

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the REINS Act on January 5.