HJ 545 is a joint resolution proposing a Constitutional Amendment which would allow that “The General Assembly may suspend or nullify any or all portions of any administrative rule or regulation by a joint resolution agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each house.”
Stories of all manners of abuse of executive authority have been prevalent in Richmond and Washington D.C.
HJ 545 would give the people’s elected legislative body the authority to curtail radical executive regulation.
HR 427, better known as the REINS ACT (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act), seeks to require Congressional Approval for any regulation which has,
(1) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; (2) a major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, federal, state, or local government agencies, or geographic regions; or (3) significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.
HR 427 has already passed the House and is currently sponsored by Rand Paul in the Senate.
Legislators realized a while back that their most profitable role in government is budgeting and controlling the tax code. They quickly lost interest in the rest of their governing responsibilities and began turning those responsibilities over to the Executive. Laws evolved into “regulations” and regulations began to dominate every aspect of American life. The EPA, HUD, BLM etc., have been making law without a single one of our elected representatives casting a vote.
These regulatory oversight bills place power, rightfully, back in the hands of elected legislatures. The only way to prevent out of control Presidents and Governors from serving as lawmakers is to regulate the regulators.
Other than budgeting, this is the most important role our legislators should be focused on exercising.
