REINS Act: Congress Grabs Power to Block Major Federal Regulations, Starting Now

The REINS Act of 2025 just flipped the script on how federal regulations are made, shifting a big chunk of power from the executive branch (think President and federal agencies) to Congress. Instead of agencies being able to implement 'major rules' after a review process, now Congress has to give its explicit thumbs-up before anything significant can happen.

What Counts as a 'Major Rule'?

The law defines a 'major rule' as anything likely to have an annual economic impact of $100 million or more, cause major cost increases for consumers or businesses, or significantly harm competition, employment, investment, or innovation (SEC. 3). That's a pretty broad definition, and honestly, it feels like it could be stretched to cover a lot of ground. It's all in the interpretation, and that's where things get tricky.

How It's Supposed to Work (and Where It Could Go Sideways)

Here’s the new process: Agencies still do their thing – research, analysis, proposing rules. But now, for any 'major rule,' they have to send a full report to Congress and the Comptroller General (SEC. 3). The Comptroller General then does their own assessment of the rule's impact. After that, Congress has 70 session days (or legislative days, whichever is longer) to pass a 'joint resolution' approving the rule. If they don't? The rule's dead in the water (SEC. 3). No drawn-out debates allowed – it's a straight up-or-down vote.

Now, there's an 'emergency' escape hatch: If there's an imminent threat to health/safety, criminal law enforcement, national security, or a need to implement an international trade agreement, the President can temporarily put a major rule in place for 90 days (SEC. 3). But after that, it's back to Congress for the final say. This could be abused. What constitutes an 'imminent threat' is open to interpretation, and a savvy (or unscrupulous) administration could potentially use this to bypass Congressional oversight.

The Real-World Impact

For regular folks, this means a few things:

• Slower Regulations: Even if a rule is generally a good idea (say, protecting clean water or ensuring food safety), it could get bogged down in Congressional gridlock. This could mean delays in addressing important issues that affect everyday people. The timeframes here are tight, and Congress isn't exactly known for its speed.
• More Lobbying Power: This law gives lobbyists another pressure point. Instead of just influencing agencies, they can now directly target members of Congress to sway votes on regulations. This could give big corporations and special interests even more power in shaping the rules that govern our lives.
• Potential for Instability: Imagine a rule affecting, say, workplace safety standards for construction workers. If that rule is constantly under threat of being overturned by Congress, it makes it hard for businesses and workers to plan. This uncertainty can be a real problem.

The Big Picture

The REINS Act is framed as increasing accountability (SEC. 2), but it really seems like a power grab. It significantly weakens the ability of federal agencies to respond quickly to emerging issues, whether it's a new public health threat, an environmental crisis, or a financial scam. It also conveniently exempts rules concerning monetary policy by the Federal Reserve (SEC. 3), meaning they get a free pass from this new level of scrutiny. The Act also mandates a study by the GAO to determine the number and cost of all current rules (SEC. 5). It's hard not to see this as an attempt to build a case for even more deregulation down the line.

This law could make an already complex system even more complicated and less responsive to the needs of everyday Americans. It's one to watch closely, because the consequences could be far-reaching.