REINS Act

Dear Friend,

Did you know that the Obama Administration counted 410 new major rules in its regulatory agendas over the past two years? That's four times more than the first two years of the previous Administration. And just so we're on the same page, a ‘major rule' is a rule that has an economic impact of $100 million or more. America's job creators already pay a combined $1.75 trillion every year to comply with regulations, and the worst part is all of these regulations come from unelected federal bureaucrats. I have heard countless stories from small businesses in our community of the massive costs of complying with regulations – and my colleagues and I have been listening.

This week, Republicans and Democrats in the House passed the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which requires a congressional up-or-down vote on any ‘major rule.' You and voters across the nation have loaned Congress the power to make laws, and with this legislation, the people you elected will decide whether or not major regulations get implemented.

One rule that could be considered ‘major' and would particularly impact our communities is an EPA regulation on farm dust. Earlier this week, the House passed the Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act, which prohibits EPA from implementing tighter standards on dust for one year and bans the agency from regulating dust that is kicked up in general rural activities (nuisance dust) if it is already regulated by a state or local entity. EPA already regulates farm dust under the Clean Air Act, and for the most part our farmers and ranchers are in compliance; but even complying with the current rules costs money. The farmers and ranchers in our district produce some of the state's largest quantities of agricultural products, and there is no question that we would be significantly impacted by stricter standards.

I know that regulations, such as those that promoting clean air, are often necessary to protect the health and safety of the American public, but there must be a balanced approach. That's exactly what the farm dust bill and REINS Act promote. The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act says that if nuisance dust is already regulated, like it is in our district, then EPA shouldn't add a duplicative regulation. That's just common sense. And while it gives farmers and ranchers a one-year reprieve on tighter standards, EPA could propose them in the future, and that's where the REINS Act could come in. If EPA does propose tighter standards and they are deemed a ‘major rule,' then under the REINS Act, an up-or-down vote by Congress would be required for implementation. This added check-and-balance will help ensure the families and small businesses in our district aren't saddled with unnecessary regulatory burdens.

President Obama has said that where ‘we find rules that put an unnecessary burden on businesses, we will fix them.' With these bills, we're giving the President an opportunity to do just that, and I hope he takes it.

As we move into the New Year, I will continue to fight to lift the shackles of overregulation from the innovators and small businesses that will drive our economic growth. I also want to hear from you. Are you suffering from any specific regulations that put an undue cost burden on you and your family? And will the efforts we've taken to reduce regulation give you more confidence in the economy? Please send me an email to share your thoughts.

Sincerely,

Kevin McCarthy