Sponsors (5)
The bill increases transparency, early public input, and quantified cost–benefit discipline in federal rulemaking—but does so by concentrating review authority and adding procedural and analytical steps that are likely to slow rulemaking, raise administrative and compliance costs, and risk weakening protections that are hard to monetize.
State, local, Tribal governments and affected businesses (including small firms) get earlier, clearer, and more accessible information and opportunities to review and shape major federal rules (e.g., initial impact analyses with NPRMs, formal consultations, 90-day notices, electronic dockets).
Agencies must quantify costs and benefits, consider alternatives, and (absent valid justification) favor the alternative with the largest quantified net benefits, improving transparency and evidence-based regulatory decisionmaking that can lower unnecessary regulatory costs for businesses and taxpayers.
Stronger OIRA guidance, required corrections of noncompliant or conflicting major rules, and increased reporting to Congress should improve interagency consistency and reduce legally vulnerable or inconsistent regulations.
Centralizing additional gatekeeping authority in OIRA (e.g., major-rule determinations and approval of departures from net-benefit choices) increases executive review power and could let OIRA delay, restrict, or reshape major rules.
Expanded procedural requirements (earlier notices, broader consultations, required RIAs, added reporting) are likely to slow rulemaking and delay implementation of protections, standards, or program changes that affect the public.
New analytic, consultation, and procedural steps increase administrative and compliance costs for agencies, regulated entities, and taxpayers (including costs of additional analyses, dockets, consultations, and likely more litigation), raising the price of regulation and program delivery.
Based on analysis of 10 sections of legislative text.
Tightens UMRA: defines OIRA‑designated “major rules,” requires initial and final RIAs, broadens consultations, increases OIRA oversight, adds APA judicial review.
Official title: To amend the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 to provide for regulatory impact analyses for certain rules, and for other purposes.
Introduced January 21, 2025 by Virginia Ann Foxx · Last progress January 21, 2025
Creates a stronger, more formal process for identifying, analyzing, consulting on, and reviewing “major rules” across the federal government. It defines “major rule,” requires detailed initial and final regulatory impact analyses and broader pre-proposal consultation with States, localities, Tribes, and affected private parties, expands OIRA oversight and annual reporting to Congress, requires early public dockets and notices for rules that may become major, and opens judicial review of agency compliance under standard APA procedures. Several provisions take effect 120 days after enactment.