WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Steve Daines today introduced legislation to ease the regulatory burden facing Montanans by bringing much-needed accountability and transparency to the regulatory process.
Daines’ bill, S. 826 the Regulatory Examination Vital for Improving and Evaluating Working Solutions (REVIEWS) Act, implements a decennial review of all federal rules to ensure that the American people aren’t subjected to regulations that are outdated, unworkable or simply no longer make sense.
The bill requires federal agencies to subject all existing regulations to the Administrative Procedure Act’s Notice and Comment process every 10 years – allowing the American people to review and provide feedback on the necessity of the rule. If a federal agency fails to enter a regulation into the public comment process, the rule will be unenforceable in the court.
“Far too often, Montana small businesses are encumbered by outdated regulations that impede growth and increase costs,” Daines stated. “This legislation brings much-needed accountability and transparency to the regulatory process and ensures that Montana families and small businesses aren’t subjected to old regulations that don’t work or no longer make sense.”
Montana small businesses shared with Daines how outdated regulations negatively impact their operations.
“While there have been numerous federal regulation changes in the transportation industry to improve our reporting and operation requirements, we are still often burdened with requirements that can take valuable time away from our company,” Vicki Bertelsen, President K&K Trucking of Great Falls stated. “Several FMCSA regulations and rules were enacted over fifty years ago and are still a part of the federal rulebook. It would be helpful for these antiquated rules to be “cleaned up” with more applicable and current rules.”
In the Senate, Daines has cosponsored multiple pieces of legislation that would foster transparency and accountability for Montanans including S. 226, the Regulations From the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2015. This bill requires that any new regulation with an economic impact of more than $100 million receives Congressional approval before it is imposed on the American people. Daines also championed the REINS Act while serving in the House.
The full text of Daines’ bill is available here.
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