Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr-6145119th Congress
EXPERTS Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
Introduced
Summary
Transparency and public participation would be strengthened in federal rulemaking. The bill would force disclosure of who funds scientific, economic, and technical studies used in rules, expand negotiated rulemaking to include State, local, and tribal governments, and create an Office of the Public Advocate to promote outreach and social equity assessments.
Show full summary
- Families and communities: Agencies would have to perform social equity assessments on request within 30 days and must respond within 60 days to petitions with more than 100,000 signatures, clarifying whether they will issue, amend, or repeal a rule.
- Agencies and regulated entities: Submitters would face new disclosure duties for studies, agencies could exclude noncompliant submissions from the record, and annual-reporting entities under the Securities Exchange Act would face civil penalties of at least $250,000 for a first violation and $1,000,000 for each subsequent violation.
- Rulemakers and intergovernmental partners: The bill would authorize negotiated rulemaking that includes Federal, State, local, and tribal governments, require agencies to publish draft-text changes and communications, and set OIRA review of significant regulatory actions at 60 days with one 30-day extension.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
8 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
Rules must weigh public and equity impacts
If enacted, agencies doing cost-benefit or impact analysis would need to count public benefits, even when hard to measure, and usually favor rules that provide them. Agencies would have to consider how rules affect different groups and report on social equity impacts. The bill would define a “significant” rule, including ones likely to affect the economy by $100,000,000 or more, or that change budgets, conflict with other actions, or raise novel issues. It would define “social equity impact” and “social equity assessment” to guide these reviews. In court, strict cost-benefit proof would not be required unless a law clearly says so.
60-day limit on big rule reviews
If enacted, OIRA would have 60 days to review a significant regulatory action. It could extend once by 30 days, but only with a written reason posted publicly. If OIRA waives review or misses the deadline, the agency could publish the rule.
More open rulemaking and public input
If enacted, agencies would have to quickly notify the public about proposed and final rules within two business days and keep a list of all participants. Agencies would have to show changes from drafts to published texts and say if changes came from OMB, another agency, or another federal official. If an agency withdraws a rule, it would need to explain why and who influenced the choice. When a petition gets over 100,000 signatures, the agency would have to respond within 60 days and explain next steps or why not. Agency heads would publish how they process such petitions within 30 days after enactment, and those procedures would not be reviewed in court under chapter 7.
New Public Advocate for fair rules
If enacted, a new Office of the Public Advocate inside OMB would help people take part in rulemaking. The office would study social equity, do outreach in many languages, and help agencies and the public. When the public requests it through the comment process, the office would complete a social equity assessment within 30 days. The National Public Advocate would be appointed by the President with Senate approval. The office would issue rules to run these duties within 180 days after the Advocate is appointed or after enactment, whichever is later.
Court deference and deadlines for rules
If enacted, courts would defer to an agency’s reasonable reading of an unclear law when the agency followed required procedures. The bill would set 1-year benchmarks for what counts as an “unreasonable delay,” such as no final rule within 1 year after a proposal. It would also set a six-year deadline to sue after a final agency action.
One-year window to revive blocked rules
If enacted, agencies could reinstate certain rules that Congress previously disapproved by republishing them within one year after enactment. After that one-year window, they would need to use the normal notice-and-comment process. The bill would also make a technical change to the text of the Congressional Review Act that could affect how that part is read.
Stronger disclosures for studies and comments
If enacted, people who send studies to a rulemaking would have to say who paid and how much, who reviewed or changed it, and any money ties to affected parties. Agencies would post these studies unless a FOIA rule blocks it, and could ignore submissions that skip required facts. They would flag a conflict when 10% or more of study funding comes from an entity the agency regulates, or when a regulated entity did or revised the study. Public companies would need to attach their prior annual report and the latest quarterly report. If they knowingly lie or omit key facts, fines would be at least $250,000 for the first case and at least $1,000,000 after that.
Negotiated rulemaking limited to governments
If enacted, negotiated rulemaking would be limited to talks between agencies and federal, state, local, or tribal governments. Committee seats would go only to government representatives. Private parties would not take part in this negotiated process.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7]
WA • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Adams, Alma S. [D-NC-12]
NC • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Amo, Gabe [D-RI-1]
RI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3]
AZ • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large]
VT • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]
OH • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1]
OR • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]
IN • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35]
TX • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]
NY • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]
TN • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Correa, J. Luis [D-CA-46]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]
CT • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3]
OR • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6]
MI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
NY • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4]
NC • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10]
FL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]
CT • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4]
NV • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4]
GA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Lieu, Ted [D-CA-36]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8]
MA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Magaziner, Seth [D-RI-2]
RI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]
GA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4]
MN • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2]
MA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. McIver, LaMonica [D-NJ-10]
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12]
NY • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Omar, Ilhan [D-MN-5]
MN • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2]
WI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Salinas, Andrea [D-OR-6]
OR • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Sánchez, Linda T. [D-CA-38]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5]
PA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9]
WA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Stansbury, Melanie A. [D-NM-1]
NM • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]
NV • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2]
HI • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20]
NY • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Underwood, Lauren [D-IL-14]
IL • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Vargas, Juan [D-CA-52]
CA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]
NJ • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]
GA • D
Sponsored 11/19/2025
Rep. Meng, Grace [D-NY-6]
NY • D
Sponsored 2/20/2026
Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1]
WA • D
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Leger Fernandez, Teresa [D-NM-3]
NM • D
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Mfume, Kweisi [D-MD-7]
MD • D
Sponsored 4/14/2026
Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2]
IL • D
Sponsored 6/3/2026
Rep. McClain Delaney, April [D-MD-6]
MD • D
Sponsored 7/14/2026
Rep. DeGette, Diana [D-CO-1]
CO • D
Sponsored 7/23/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov