The Congressional Review Act became law in 1996 and allows Congress to easily overturn harmful federal regulations. I wanted to provide some information about this little-known Act, which is allowing Congress to review and roll back these burdensome policies.
Dear Friend,
Congress is committed to providing relief for families and small businesses. One of the main ways we are carrying out this goal is by using the Congressional Review Act to repeal a number of burdensome regulations. These policies, which were never passed by Congress, stifle growth by creating more red tape for hardworking Americans.
Under this Act, Congress has 60 in-session days to review regulations put into effect by the executive agencies. This window was renewed for another 60 days when the 115th Congress began, which means Congress is providing oversight on rules enacted since June 13, 2016.
As an example, if the House and Senate disapprove of a rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency, a simple majority in both chambers will send a Congressional Review Act resolution to the president’s desk for his signature to stop it. The Senate cannot filibuster this resolution. When the president signs a Congressional Review Act resolution, it blocks the federal agency from instituting that regulation again – including under a new administration.
Given the 60-day timeframe under the Congressional Review Act, Congress will continue working to review and repeal as many harmful regulations as necessary.
Sincerely,
Kay Granger
Member of Congress