3/2/17 – Repealing Regulations

Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of onerous Obama Administration regulations may be quickly overturned using a decades-old law.

Here’s what’s happening behind the headlines.

A 1996 law may speed the repeal of countless Obama-era regs.  The Congressional Review Act is a procedure by which a majority of both chambers can overturn a regulation.  If the president signs a joint Congressional resolution of disapproval then the deed is done.

In a typical year, Congress passes about 300 laws.  But agencies put more than 3,000 regulations in place.

Executive department agencies have been used by presidents to implement rules that have the force of law.  They often do this when they can’t get an actual law passed in Congress.

There’s a limited amount of time after a regulation has been crafted in which Congress may act to overturn it.  But many departments under Obama failed to comply with an important component of the law. They’re required to send a summary of the regulation to Congress for review.  This is when the clock begins ticking.  Some agencies skipped this vital step.

The door is now open. A department can now send these delinquent notices, triggering Congressional action.

There are consequences to not obeying the law.

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