REINS Act Passes U.S. House

A bill championed by 9th District U.S. Representative Doug Collins is moving on to the Senate.

Last week, the House passed H.R. 26, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny, or REINS, Act by a vote of 237-187.

The legislation would require that any major rules set forth by executive agencies be approved by both Congress and the president before taking effect.

Under the REINS Act, major rules are those with an economic impact of $100 million or more as calculated by the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, which is part of the Office of Management and Budget.

After its passage in the House, Collins said that the House has again done its part to protect the voices and wallets of Americans by putting major regulations under the oversight of Congress.

Collins went on to say that their colleagues in the Senate have the “opportunity and responsibility” to send this bill to the White House.

President-elect Trump has said that he will sign the REINS Act into law should it pass in both chambers.

According to an article in the Washington Examiner, the U.S. House has passed the REINS Act three times, but each time the legislation has died in the Senate.

That Washington Examiner article said that Collins, who is the House Republican Conference’s new vice chairman, is taking the bill’s reins from Indiana Representative Todd Young, who won a Senate election in November.

Opponents of the said that it is unnecessary because Congress already has the power to alter and influence federal rule making.