# 119-hr-418: Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act

119-hr-418, Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6] (R-VA); status introduced (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-418
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-418
- Congress: 119
- Title: Ensuring Accountability in Agency Rulemaking Act
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-01-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Cline, Ben [R-VA-6] (R-VA)
- Cosponsors: 11
- Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
- Touches household money: no
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**Would require Senate-confirmed presidential appointees to initiate and sign most agency rules under section 553 of the Administrative Procedure Act.** It also would give the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs new guidance and monitoring duties and establish a narrow public‑safety exemption with required notification. - Agency leaders and senior political appointees would have to initiate or sign rules, making those tasks nondelegable except in limited cases. This shifts final rulemaking authority to presidentially appointed officials and non‑career senior executives. - The Administrator of OIRA would issue guidance and monitor agency compliance, while the statute preserves OMB’s other budget and administrative roles. The bill also defines key terms so the requirements target substantive regulations rather than internal agency procedures. - An agency head could exempt a rule only if complying would impede public safety or security, and must notify OIRA and publish the reasons in the Federal Register consistent with safety and privacy. The bill says these requirements supersede prior practice to the extent of any conflict.

## Cosponsors (11)

- Rep. Golden, Jared F. [D-ME-2] (D-ME), 2025-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large] (R-WY), 2025-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Ellzey, Jake [R-TX-6] (R-TX), 2025-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2] (R-TX), 2025-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Brecheen, Josh [R-OK-2] (R-OK), 2025-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fitzgerald, Scott [R-WI-5] (R-WI), 2025-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Green, Mark E. [R-TN-7] (R-TN), 2025-01-15T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26] (R-TX), 2025-01-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Webster, Daniel [R-FL-11] (R-FL), 2025-02-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2] (R-NJ), 2025-02-21T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Steube, W. Gregory [R-FL-17] (R-FL), 2025-06-23T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Top officials to sign agency rules: mixed, high. If enacted, this bill would require a senior appointee to start any notice-and-comment rule. A Senate-confirmed Presidential appointee would need to sign the final rule. The agency head could make a nondelegable safety or security exception, but must notify the OIRA Administrator and publish the re…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-38: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025
- 119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
- 119-hr-925: Dismantle DEI Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1628: 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act
- 119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1919: Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-418 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/418)

## Related
- [119-hr-38: Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-38)
- [119-hr-21: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-21)
- [119-hr-925: Dismantle DEI Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-925)
- [119-hr-1628: 761st Tank Battalion Congressional Gold Medal Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1628)
- [119-hr-1422: Enhanced Iran Sanctions Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1422)
- [119-hr-1919: Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1919)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-418 (as of 2026-09-21).