The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a significant piece of legislation that could impact presidential regulatory powers.
According to the Daily Caller, the Midnight Rules Relief Act enables simultaneous annulment of numerous regulations introduced in the final 60 days of a president's term, concentrating on recent Biden-era mandates.
The House voted 212 to 208 in favor of the bill, advocated by Republican Arizona Representative Andy Biggs. This legislation proposes amending the Congressional Review Act to allow the overturning of multiple regulations at once, aiming to streamline the process by which Congress can address what it considers overreach in rule-making by the executive during the dusk of its administration.
Referred to as the Midnight Rules Relief Act, the bill specifically addresses concerns over about 1400 regulations imposed late in President Joe Biden's term. Supporters of the bill argue these regulations if left unchecked, could be detrimental to businesses and the broader economy.
The significant regulatory actions by the Biden administration, including those from the Environmental Protection Agency, reportedly carry a cumulative cost nearing $2 trillion. This hefty sum has fueled the push for legislative intervention, with Bill sponsor Rep. Andy Biggs highlighting the economic stakes involved.
Only one Democrat, Representative Henry Cuellar from Texas, broke ranks to support the legislation, reflecting the partisan split in the debate over regulatory oversight.
This isn't the first attempt to pass such a measure; the same bill was approved in December during the 118th Congress but stalled in the Senate under then-Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. With the reintroduction in the 119th Congress, proponents are hopeful for a different outcome this time around.
Speaker Mike Johnson underscored the importance of this legislative effort in a recent press conference: "In the waning months of the Biden administration, there were 1400 unnecessary, harmful, last-minute rules that were imposed. Those are things that hurt small business owners and hardworking Americans and families."
In response to critics, the House Rules Committee described the opposition from House Democrats to the bill as "deeply unserious." The committee's social media pointed out the extensive number of rules issued at the end of the Biden administration, emphasizing the necessity of the Act.
Rep. Andy Biggs, now in his fifth term and eyeing the Arizona gubernatorial seat for 2026, has been vocal about his motives for sponsoring this bill. He asserts it will free the nation's economy from potential losses amounting to $1.34 trillion by preventing what he calls "America Last" rules and regulations from taking effect.
Rep. Andy Biggs wrote, stating his intention behind the reintroduction of the bill: "The Midnight Rules Relief Act will allow Congress to clear the deck of America's Last rules and regulations imposed by the Biden-Harris regime and will prevent our economy from taking a $1.34 trillion hit."
This legislative initiative represents more than just a routine regulatory adjustment; it encapsulates a significant shift in how congressional oversight could temper executive power, especially as administrations draw to a close. The successful passage of the Midnight Rules Relief Act in the House marks a pivotal moment in this ongoing legislative and ideological conflict, bringing to the forefront a debate over the balance of power between the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government.
As it stands, the future of the Midnight Rules Relief Act in the Senate remains uncertain. With its passage through the House and under a new congressional makeup, its proponents are more optimistic.
Nevertheless, this issue starkly illustrates the broader national discourse on governance, executive authority, and economic impact, a discourse that will undoubtedly continue to unfold as the bill makes its way through the legislative process.
