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A new regulatory killer will soon make its way to the Senate floor.

Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) “Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act” (REINS Act) made it through committee this week, putting our ever-growing bureaucratic behemoth in its sights. 

The REINS Act would reassert Congressional authority over governmental agencies and organizations by requiring every new regulation that will have an annual economic impact over $100 million dollars to be authorized by Congress.

As of late, Congressional Republicans have utilized the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to eliminate Obama era regulations. Signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, the CRA gives the legislative branch the ability to overrule regulations set by executive agencies. However, Democrats have scrutinized its use, arguing that its current use is not how it was intended. This May, Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.) has gone as far as introducing a bill that would repeal the CRA. 

Regardless, the REINS Act sole purpose is to put an end to reckless bureaucratic nonsense, continuing the efforts made by Congress in the past few months. It would undoubtedly reign in the overbearing regulatory mess by mitigating needless spending and opening up our economy to a freer and more productive atmosphere. Between the cost of the regulatory burden, and its negative impact on the free market, the REINS Act is a common sense solution to shrinking the size of government.

Accompanying the REINS Act is the Regulatory Accountability Act which is much less extensive, but takes a step in the right direction, requiring federal agencies to run cost/benefit analyses on new regulations. A floor vote is expected soon.