{"format":1,"id":"118-hr-277","congress":118,"number":"H.R. 277","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that major rules of the executive branch shall have no force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is enacted into law."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) from PCS (Placed on Senate Calendar) bill text","title":"Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"REINS Act of 2023"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2023-01-11","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2023-06-14","vote":{"id":"118-2023-h265","question":"On Passage","title":"REINS Act","result":"Passed","yea":221,"nay":210,"present":0,"not_voting":2,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll265.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 103.","date":"2023-06-21"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[{"number":"H.Amdt. 193","sponsor":"Rep. Biggs, Andy [R-AZ-5]","purpose":"Amendment sought to lower the threshold for designation as a \"major rule\" to $50 million.","result":"Failed","date":"2023-06-14","yea":211,"nay":223,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll257.xml"},{"number":"H.Amdt. 198","sponsor":"Rep. Good, Bob [R-VA-5]","purpose":"Amendment sought to expand the definition of a \"major rule\" to include any rule likely to result in increased access to abortion, abortion-related services, or abortion-related travel.","result":"Failed","date":"2023-06-14","yea":211,"nay":223,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll258.xml"},{"number":"H.Amdt. 199","sponsor":"Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]","purpose":"Amendment sought to delay implementation of the legislation by 1 year and require a study be conducted in that time by the GAO on the effects of implementation.","result":"Failed","date":"2023-06-14","yea":207,"nay":225,"present":0,"not_voting":7,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll259.xml"},{"number":"H.Amdt. 200","sponsor":"Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]","purpose":"Amendment sought to create a rapid-review requirement which would allow executive branch rules to go into effect if Congress does not pass a joint resolution within 70 legislative days.","result":"Failed","date":"2023-06-14","yea":213,"nay":221,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll260.xml"},{"number":"H.Amdt. 201","sponsor":"Rep. Houlahan, Chrissy [D-PA-6]","purpose":"Amendment sought to require Congress to approve by vote any regulation with an economic impact over $1 billion instead of $100 million.","result":"Failed","date":"2023-06-14","yea":151,"nay":285,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll261.xml"},{"number":"H.Amdt. 203","sponsor":"Rep. Roy, Chip [R-TX-21]","purpose":"Amendment sought to expand the definition of a \"major rule\" to include any rule that references one of the Administration's major diversity, equity, and inclusion executive orders.","result":"Failed","date":"2023-06-14","yea":217,"nay":219,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll262.xml"},{"number":"H.Amdt. 204","sponsor":"Rep. Roy, Chip [R-TX-21]","purpose":"Amendment expands the definition of \"major rule\" to include any rule likely to result in an increase in mandatory vaccinations.","result":"Agreed to","date":"2023-06-14","yea":219,"nay":217,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll263.xml"}],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Failed","yea":211,"nay":223,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll257.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Failed","yea":211,"nay":223,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll258.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Failed","yea":207,"nay":225,"present":0,"not_voting":7,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll259.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Failed","yea":213,"nay":221,"present":0,"not_voting":5,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll260.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Failed","yea":151,"nay":285,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll261.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Failed","yea":217,"nay":219,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll262.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Agreeing to the Amendment","title":"","result":"Agreed to","yea":219,"nay":217,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"kind":"amendment","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll263.xml"},{"chamber":"house","date":"2023-06-14","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"REINS Act","result":"Failed","yea":210,"nay":220,"present":0,"not_voting":3,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2023/roll264.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2023-06-14","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023 or the REINS Act of 2023"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill revises provisions relating to congressional review of agency rulemaking."},{"k":"p","t":"Specifically, the bill establishes a congressional approval process for a major rule. A major rule may only take effect if Congress approves of the rule. A major rule is a rule that has resulted in or is likely to result in (1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises; or (4) an increase in mandatory vaccinations."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill also provides for the designation, review, and approval of at least 20% of agency rules currently in effect."}],"words":146},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Amends chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide that a major rule of a Federal agency does not take effect unless Congress enacts a joint resolution of approval, and sets reporting and review procedures for agency rules.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H02D47061D52C497189C170D33ABFBEFC"}]},"core_areas":["Congressional approval requirement for major rules","Agency reports to Congress and the Comptroller General on new rules","Congressional disapproval procedure for nonmajor rules","Review and sunset of rules already in effect","Comptroller General study of rules in effect"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Provides that a major rule shall not take effect unless Congress enacts a joint resolution of approval, and that a rule is deemed not approved and does not take effect if no such resolution is enacted within 70 session days or legislative days, as applicable.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H02D47061D52C497189C170D33ABFBEFC"}},{"text":"Requires a Federal agency, before a rule takes effect, to publish in the Federal Register a list of the information on which the rule is based and to submit to each House of Congress and the Comptroller General a report that includes a copy of the rule and a finding on whether it is a major or nonmajor rule.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H02D47061D52C497189C170D33ABFBEFC"}},{"text":"Defines a major rule as a rule that the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs Administrator or the agency finds has resulted in or is likely to result in an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more, certain cost, price or competition effects, or an increase in mandatory vaccinations.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H02D47061D52C497189C170D33ABFBEFC"}},{"text":"Allows a major rule to take effect for one 90-calendar-day period if the President determines by Executive order that it is necessary for an imminent threat to health or safety or other emergency, criminal law enforcement, or national security, or is issued under a statute implementing an international trade agreement.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H02D47061D52C497189C170D33ABFBEFC"}},{"text":"Requires each agency, beginning 6 months after enactment and annually for the 4 years after, to designate not less than 20 percent of its eligible rules in effect for congressional review, and provides that an eligible rule without an enacted joint resolution of approval does not continue in effect after 5 years.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H02D47061D52C497189C170D33ABFBEFC"}},{"text":"Directs the Comptroller General to study how many rules and major rules were in effect on the date of enactment and the total estimated economic cost imposed by them, and to report the findings to Congress within 1 year.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 5","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#HE4F875FDAEFE42B7A66068229356EC1D"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 4","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H2486B1FE3C0E440E8D3CF474AED599AD"},"heading":"Budgetary effects of rules subject to section 802 of title 5, United States Code","effect":"Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 so that rules subject to the section 802 approval procedure that affect budget authority, outlays, or receipts are assumed to be effective for budget scoring unless not approved.","amount":null,"quote":"shall be assumed to be effective unless it is not approved in accordance with such section"}]},{"category":"selective_carve_out","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 3","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh#H02D47061D52C497189C170D33ABFBEFC"},"heading":"Congressional review of agency rulemaking","effect":"Within the rewritten chapter 8, new section 806 exempts monetary policy rules of the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Open Market Committee, and new section 807 lets rules for hunting, fishing, or camping programs, and certain good-cause nonmajor rules, take effect when the agency decides.","amount":null,"quote":"any rule that establishes, modifies, opens, closes, or conducts a regulatory program for a commercial, recreational, or subsistence activity related to hunting, fishing, or camping"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2023-06-14","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-02","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/277/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/118-hr-277.png","v":"83d2f280219d","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 277, 118th Congress: Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2023. House: 221 Yea, 210 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 14 Jun 2023."}}