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119-hr-1226119th Congress

Restoring Checks and Balances Act

Sponsored By: Representative Stutzman, Marlin A. [R-IN-3]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would impose an automatic five-year sunset on most new federal rules, forcing agencies to get explicit Congressional reauthorization or let those rules lapse. It also builds in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) oversight, deadlines, and public reporting to make reauthorization requests visible.

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  • Agencies would face new deadlines and duties. They must send Congress a reauthorization request by December 1 of the year before a rule’s scheduled sunset with a justification, related rules, and any committee recommendations, and they should bundle multiple requests where feasible.
  • Congress would gain a standing check on newly issued regulations. A covered rule would continue only if Congress enacts a specific authorization to keep it beyond five years.
  • The public and regulated parties would see more transparency and possible regulatory turnover. Agencies must publish reauthorization reports on their public websites, and any rule that sunsets cannot be reissued, enforced, revised, or otherwise acted on by the agency.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Five-year expiration for new federal rules

If enacted, most new agency rules would end 5 years after they take effect unless Congress reauthorizes them. To seek reauthorization, the agency head would have to send Congress a report by December 1 of the year before the rule would end. The report would justify keeping the rule, list related rules, bundle requests when possible, and be posted on the agency’s website. The Director of OMB or the agency head could oversee this process. After a rule sunsets, the agency would not be able to reissue, enforce, revise, or take related regulatory action on it.

Which rules count and key exemptions

If enacted, the bill would define which agencies and rules are covered. It would exclude rules for military or foreign affairs, certain criminal law enforcement, internal agency management, formal rulemaking, and urgent health or safety emergencies. "Sunset" would mean a rule has no force or effect. It would also say it does not override the Administrative Procedure Act, so normal rulemaking and review steps would still apply.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Stutzman, Marlin A. [R-IN-3]

IN • R

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 2/12/2025

  • Rep. Norman, Ralph [R-SC-5]

    SC • R

    Sponsored 2/12/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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