Agency Accountability and Cost Transparency Act of 2025

This bill would make federal agencies check the cost of any big new rule and balance it out. Before an agency issues a major rule, it must estimate the rule’s cost, find and repeal other rules to offset that cost, and then state in the Federal Register whether the new rule is “budget neutral.” Budget neutral means the new rule’s cost is fully matched by the costs to the public that go away because of the repealed rules. Costs include time and money people spend to understand or follow the rule. Major rules include interim final rules and are ones the agency or the Office of Management and Budget identifies as major.

Key points

• Who is affected: Federal agencies; people, businesses, and groups that must follow federal rules.
• What changes: For each major rule, the agency must estimate costs, repeal other rules to offset those costs, and publicly say if the rule is budget neutral.
• When: These steps must happen before the agency issues the major rule.