


Conservatives are charging hard against the Biden administration , battling against not only its actions but what they see as a generations-long abuse of executive authority.
President Joe Biden has already vetoed several congressional efforts to curb his authority and is likely to do again should the Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny, or REINS Act , make it to his desk.
BIDEN GIVES TRUMP THE SILENT TREATMENT ON INDICTMENT, BUT FOR HOW LONG?"The nation faces serious challenges, and this administration’s policy is to mobilize the power of the federal government to address those issues swiftly and effectively," reads a White House statement of opposition to the bill. "The REINS Act of 2023 would undermine agencies’ efforts by inserting into the regulatory process an unwieldy, unnecessary, and time-consuming hurdle that would prevent implementation of critical safeguards."
The bill targets rulemaking from the executive branch and would mandate that every new “major rule” proposed by federal agencies must be approved by both the House and Senate before going into effect. It defines a major rule as any federal rule or regulation that may result in an annual economic effect of more than $100 million, a big increase in consumer prices, or adverse effects on competition, employment, and investment, among other strictures.
Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL) introduced it
, and the bill passed 221-210 on June 14. While it faces long odds in the Democratic-controlled Senate, it would almost certainly meet a veto at Biden's desk if it got that far.
At issue are several actions taken by the Biden administration that have upset conservatives. Congress this year has passed bills to end his $400 billion student debt transfer, overturn a Labor Department rule that would allow retirement plan managers to consider environmental, social, and governance factors when making investments, and repeal his administration's Waters of the United States rules.
Biden vetoed all of them , leaving those powers in the hands of agencies like the Department of Education and Environmental Protection Agency that are led by unelected government officials. A recently passed House bill to prevent gas stove bans could also face a veto .
Congress created a host of new government agencies across the 20th century and gave them prescribed powers, but Republicans now see the executive branch as out of control.
“Today, I think people can all agree, regardless of what political affiliation you have, that there is a new fourth branch of government, and it’s the regulatory regime,” Cammack previously told the Washington Examiner. “It’s been weaponized by both parties. … Instead of going through the traditional legislative process, we now have nameless, faceless bureaucrats in basements all over Washington, D.C., making law, implementing law without any accountability or consequences.”
As such, the REINS Act aims to restore Congress's powers to oversee the government.
It's a philosophical gripe for conservatives that ties into other concerns such as the size of government and the national debt. Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) makes several broadsides against the "administrative state" in his book The Courage to Be Free and promises to curb it if elected president.
But Democrats voted against the bill en masse, arguing like Biden that it's unnecessary and could even be counterproductive.
"I voted against the REINS Act, a Republican gimmick designed to put gum in the gears of government & obstruct policymaking," tweeted Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ). "Requiring Congressional approval for rules by a federal agency is unnecessary because Congress already has the power to disapprove & limit regulations."
Aside from the bill, right-leaning leaders have leaned into the regulatory process, creating comment portals to make it easier for everyday people to submit comments against proposed agency rules.
"[The Biden] administration has tried to bypass Congress and use the federal rulemaking process to dictate so many aspects of Americans' lives, including telling them what kind of car they can drive, how they can cook their food, and how their retirement savings are invested," said Jessica Anderson, executive director of Heritage Action.
Anderson's group has launched portals to galvanize opposition to Biden's proposed transgender sports rules and gas stove regulations. Its five portals have facilitated more than 32,000 comments to date.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINERLeft-leaning groups oppose the REINS Act and the theory behind it, arguing that Congress already enjoys vast regulatory powers and defending the wisdom of government agencies.
"The process of formulating regulations, guidance, and rules for implementing federal programs must be informed by the voices of experts, practitioners, and impacted parties, as well as scientific data and other relevant information," reads a statement from the National Association of Educators. "In contrast, the REINS Act would facilitate halting or preventing action for any reason—or no reason at all."