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U.S. Representative Massie Votes to Pass REINS Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Thomas Massie voted to pass the bipartisan Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (H.R. 427), which would curb the Administration's unchecked and costly regulations. Congressman Todd Young (R-IN) introduced the bill on January 21st, 2015, with 133 original co-sponsors, including Congressman Massie. The House of Representatives passed the REINS Act, 243-165.
“Excessive regulation stifles economic growth, hurts small businesses, and raises consumer prices,” said Congressman Massie. “It is vital that Congress act to reduce our regulatory burden, which raises consumer prices, reduces wages, and costs jobs.”
“The REINS Act is key to reforming our nation’s regulatory system so that the American people can hold Congress accountable for the law of the land,” said Congressman Todd Young (R-IN). “While the President would prefer to act unilaterally—and he has made that abundantly clear in recent months—that’s not the way our system operates. Unfortunately, when the executive branch issues regulations with a huge economic impact or negative consequences, it’s hard for the American people to hold accountable a nameless, faceless federal bureaucracy. Requiring an up-or-down vote by Congress on major regulations restores the notion that the legislative branch is in charge of writing laws, brings transparency to our regulatory system, and ensures our constituents know who is responsible when burdensome regulations take effect.”
The REINS Act would require congressional approval for regulation expected to cost the economy more than $100 million, lead to a major increase in consumer prices, or adversely affect employment.
“Congress has delegated its authority to unaccountable federal agencies over the past decades,” added Congressman Massie. “Unelected bureaucrats do not have the constitutional authority to write laws. Only Congress has this power, and ceding it to federal agencies undermines our representative form of government.”
Kentucky 4th district constituent Lloyd Rogers of Alexandria, Kentucky, and a member of Massie’s congressional staff, first conceived of the bill.
Rogers added, “As Campbell County, Kentucky, Judge-Executive, I saw local government was being hampered by unconstitutional regulations and mandates from the EPA. Auto emission checking, sewer mandates, water regulations and a plethora of overreaching rules and mandates. Article I, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution states, ‘All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.’ I saw no authority for the EPA to make law, so I felt they needed to be restrained.”
Though the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan REINS Act in both the 112th and 113th Congress, the bill never received a vote in the Senate under Democratic leadership.
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is the lead sponsor of the REINS Act (S.226) in the Senate.
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