Sponsors (2)
The bill increases clarity, transparency, and economic-focused review of federal rulemaking—potentially producing more predictable, cost‑effective regulations—but centralizes control at OIRA, adds procedural burdens, and narrows some judicial and participatory protections in ways that can slow rulemaking and weaken safeguards for vulnerable groups.
Federal agencies, businesses, and state/local governments get clearer statutory definitions and a bright-line $100,000,000 "major rule" threshold, reducing ambiguity about when rules and guidance trigger heightened review.
Members of the public, regulated parties, and agencies gain greater transparency and participation through longer comment periods, public access to underlying studies/models, published timetables, and centralized retrospective assessments and reports.
Regulated parties and the public benefit from a stronger requirement that agencies assess and compare regulatory alternatives and consider net benefits, which should produce better‑targeted, more cost‑effective rules.
OIRA-centered classification and added centralized review for "major guidance" and "major rules" gives the executive office significant control and is likely to delay agency guidance and rulemaking, slowing issuance of protections and benefits.
New procedural requirements (cost‑benefit analyses, evidence publication, extended dockets and retrospective reporting) impose substantial administrative and compliance costs — disproportionately straining smaller agencies and regulated small businesses — and may divert staff from programmatic work.
A mandate to 'maximize net benefits' (despite carveouts) risks undervaluing non‑quantifiable benefits—such as civil rights, environmental justice, and other distributive impacts—potentially producing weaker protections for low‑income communities and racial/ethnic minorities.
Based on analysis of 9 sections of legislative text.
Tightens federal rulemaking: expands definitions, requires OIRA pre‑review and detailed alternatives/cost‑benefit analyses for major rules, and narrows some judicial review.
Introduced May 12, 2025 by James Lankford · Last progress May 12, 2025
Imposes new, detailed procedural requirements on federal rulemaking: it tightens definitions (including a $100,000,000 test for “major rules”), requires agencies to prepare and submit analyses of costs, benefits, and alternatives before publishing proposed rules, and expands OIRA’s review and oversight of major rules and retrospective assessments. It also changes judicial review standards for agency action and updates cross-references in other statutes. The amendments do not apply to rulemakings already pending or completed at enactment.