For Immediate Release: January 6, 2017

Contact:  Ben Gann, (202) 367-1169
 

[Washington DC] -  The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association (NLBMDA) praises the approval today of the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act (H.R. 26) by a vote of 237 to 187 in the House of Representatives.

The legislation   increases accountability and transparency in the federal regulatory process by requiring Congress to approve all major rules before taking effect. As part of the bill, a "major rule" means any rule, including an interim final rule, that the Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of Management and Budget finds has resulted in or is likely to result in the following:

• An annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more;

• A major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, federal, state, or local government agencies, or geographic regions; or

• Significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or on the ability of United States-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and export markets.

At present, Congress has two options for addressing excessive or overreaching Federal regulations: pass a new law or pass a joint resolution of disapproval as set out in the Congressional Review Act (CRA).  Since the enactment of the CRA in 1996, only one rule, however, has been overturned through the CRA disapproval process.

 

"NLBMDA is pleased that in the opening days of the 115th Congress, the House of Representatives has taken action to prevent burdensome regulations," said Jonathan Paine, President and CEO of NLBMDA. "The legislation provides much-needed transparency and accountability to the rulemaking process."

Click here to see how your representative voted on the REINS Act.