In-Depth: Sponsoring Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) introduced this bill in the closing weeks of the 114th Congress and has since reintroduced it in the new Congress in order to stop the implementation of high-cost or politically-motivated regulations during the final months of the Obama administration:

“Presidents from both parties have made habit of using midnight regulations to sneak in the few remaining parts of their agenda just before the clock runs out. Our bill will keep outgoing Administrations in check by ensuring new regulations attain the proper level of scrutiny by Congress and the American people. Many of these new rules and regulations come at a tremendous cost to small business and our job creators. We need to ensure these rules aren’t rushed in to fulfill some partisan agenda and that the people’s elected representatives have the opportunity carefully review them.”

Democrats expressed their opposition to this bill when it was reported out of committee in the 114th Congress because it “dramatically expands the ability of Congress to summarily disapprove rules submitted to it during the last six months or so of an outgoing administration.” They feel that many of the rules that take effect that late in a president’s administration took years to formulate because of requirements to notify Congress and allow the public to comment. The Obama administration has said that it would veto this bill.

In the 114th Congress, the House Judiciary Committee passed this bill on a party-line, 15-5 vote with Democrats providing the only dissenting votes. It has eight cosponsors in the House, including seven Republicans and a Democrat.

Media:

• Sponsoring Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA) Press Release (Previous Version)
  
• CBO Cost Estimate (Previous Version)
  
• Federal Times
• The National Law Review
• Ripon Advance (Previous Version)
  
• Coalition for Sensible Safeguards (Opposed)
  
• Office of Management and Budget (Opposed)