With the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump imminent, Congressional Republicans are gearing up for a significant policy shift.
According to the Washington Examiner, Congress is set to leverage the Congressional Review Act to repeal numerous regulations adopted during President Joe Biden's tenure.
The Congressional Review Act serves as a crucial tool, enabling lawmakers to overturn recent federal regulations with just a simple majority in both chambers. Lawmakers have targeted about 1,300 regulations, including 108 considered significant, aiming to reverse them swiftly without the intricate processes typically required.
Since taking over both houses of Congress and the presidency, Republicans have expressed a firm commitment to undo many of the policies and regulations implemented by the Biden administration. Vetoes and opposition in the Democrat-controlled Senate often thwarted attempts to reverse these regulations over the past four years.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune highlighted the strategic deliberations underway, stating, "Well, it’s something that we’re taking a look at. There are some pretty good candidates for that." This reflection captures the cautious yet determined approach Republicans are taking to identify key regulatory rollbacks.
Challenges like time constraints are significant, with the Senate needing to prioritize confirmation hearings for Trump's Cabinet alongside legislative duties. Senator Kevin Cramer emphasized the pressure of time in this extensive agenda: "The clock matters, the calendar matters, we have to race that while at the same time carrying a really heavy load of confirmations and reconciliation and all of those things."
Lawmakers are targeting regulations instituted by Biden in the latter part of his term, such as those on student loan cancellations and environmental protections, for repeal. The "lookback window" feature of the Congressional Review Act restricts the repeal of regulations made since the previous August, narrowly focusing on the scope of potential reversals.
Director Rohit Chopra of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was particularly noted for his aggressive regulatory stance as the Biden administration concluded, remarking, "The agency is under no obligation to be a 'dead fish' as Biden leaves office." His agency, amidst prolific rule-making, has drawn considerable scrutiny and criticism from Republican circles, prominently from Senator Tim Scott who criticized the agency's lack of accountability to Congress.
Further complicating the political landscape, the Economic Policy Innovation Center is advocating for legislation to broaden the scope of regulatory repeals.
Additionally, the passage of the Midnight Rules Relief Act by the House could facilitate batch repeals of regulations from Biden's last year, signifying a strategic consolidation of efforts to dismantle the outgoing administration's legacy.
President-elect Donald Trump has also been vocal about his intentions to swiftly reverse several of Biden's measures, including the offshore drilling ban and new energy regulations. Trump’s directive to the newly established Department of Government Efficiency to slate regulations for elimination reiterates his administration's upcoming focus on deregulation.
As Republicans position themselves to reshape federal policy substantially, their strategy not only involves repealing existing regulations but also preventing the issuance of similar ones. This is an assertive move to permanently alter the regulatory landscape in line with conservative priorities, ensuring that the changes are not easily reversible by future administrations.
The layered efforts, from legislative actions to executive directives, showcase a comprehensive approach to redefining federal governance under a new administration.
