(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Tom Schatz, President of Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), sent a letter to all United States Senators urging them to support Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.  In an effort to slow the expansion of rules and regulations that are often burdensome and expensive for businesses, the act would require Congress to approve rules or regulations proposed by the Executive Branch.  The letter reads in part as follows:

“In 2009, the federal government issued 3,316 new rules and regulations, the equivalent of 1.6 rules per working hour.  Many regulations are far-reaching and place significant new burdens on American businesses and taxpayers.  In 2008, there were 94 major rules, and in 2009, there were 78 major rules established that the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs determined would impact the economy by at least $100 million.

“Unfortunately, members of Congress are not required to approve major federal regulations finalized under their watch.  Current law only allows for members to pass a resolution of disapproval in an effort to overturn major rules.  This unchecked power of the executive branch and the lack of congressional oversight has allowed for the establishment of onerous regulations like the Environmental Protection Agency rule that went into effect on January 1, 2010 establishing a mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting program for sources with emissions that exceed 25,000 tons per year.  There are at least 40 provisions in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which require federal rulemaking.

“The REINS Act would require Congress to approve every major rule proposed by the Executive Branch before it can be imposed on Americans.  Once a major rule is drafted, it must be voted on by both the House and Senate and signed by the President.  Agencies will be required to clearly classify rules as either major or non-major and justify their classification in terms of the statutory definition of the rule. More importantly, agencies must provide the individual and aggregate economic effects of their regulatory actions.

“I strongly urge you to support this important legislation to protect Americans from unnecessary regulatory burdens and to ensure a high standard of quality and accountability in the nation’s rule-making process.  All votes on the REINS Act will be among those considered in CCAGW’s 2011 Congressional Ratings.”

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.