Bluegrass Times

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is reintroducing the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act.

Under the bill, any proposal coming from an executive branch department or agency that is projected to cost $100 million or more to implement, should secure the approval of Congress.

“Under the REINS Act, once major rules are drafted, they must then be affirmatively approved by both chambers of Congress and then signed by the President, satisfying the bicameralism and presentment requirements of the Constitution. Currently, regulations ultimately take effect unless Congress specifically disapproves,” according to a press release from Paul’s office.

Sens. Mike Lee (R-Utah) commented that the Act would provide Americans an avenue to place a significant review and control on federal regulators stating that “unelected bureaucrats in Washington have far too much unaccountable power over the American people. 

Together with Senators Paul and Lee, 23 more GOP colleagues are sponsoring the bill including Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.), Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Sen. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).