This is the third in a three part series on Scott’s trip to Washington D.C.
The proposed REINS Act needs to be ratified to provide Congressional oversight to Administrative Branch regulations. As a former Administrative Branch Senior Manager, it’s difficult for me to embrace this concept except for the flood of poorly crafted ideas that are currently pouring out of the Administrative Branch. Congress has to reinsert their responsibility in these matters. The Act would require that every “economically significant” federal regulation (one that has an annual impact of $100 million or more) be affirmatively approved by Congress. No rule could go into effect until it has been voted through by both houses of Congress and signed by the president. If a regulation is not voted on within seventy legislative working days of being sent to Congress, it is “tabled.” That is, it dies. The Act would change the regulation process so that major regulations would be contingent on congressional approval — if a majority in each chamber does not vote “yes,” the regulation is not enacted. Think about it. Kentucky has had Legislative oversight similar to this for years and the process works quite well.