Federal RuleAug 21
62
DOL Rewrites Disability Rules for 'Merit-Based Opportunity' Push
RuleLabor DepartmentFederal Contract Compliance Programs OfficeSignificant Wallet
119-hr1163119th CongressWALLET
Prove It Act
Sponsored By: Representative Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]
In Committee
Summary
Stronger review and transparency for rules that affect small entities. This bill would expand how agencies analyze indirect costs on small businesses, let small entities petition the SBA Chief Counsel to review agency certifications, and require clearer publication and comment on guidance for rules with likely significant impacts.
Show full summary
- Small entities and their downstream partners gain a formal petition route to the SBA Chief Counsel to challenge agency certifications. The Chief Counsel must screen petitions within 10 days and publish full-review results within 30 days.
- Agencies would have to identify reasonably foreseeable indirect costs in initial regulatory analyses, post guidance and updates on regulations.gov for rules likely to have significant small-entity impacts, and participate in review meetings or face penalties and possible inapplicability of the rule to small entities.
- Rules are subject to a 10-year periodic review that must include indirect costs. If an agency misses the review the Chief Counsel can notify that the rule ceased to be effective and the agency has 180 days to complete a reinstatement review.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Rules lapse if 10-year review missed
If enacted, the bill would make a rule cease to be effective if its required 10-year review is not completed and the Chief Counsel notifies the agency. The agency must publish a Federal Register notice asking for comments on whether the rule should be reinstated. If the agency decides to reinstate, it would have 180 days to finish the review, and the rule would be reinstated without restarting normal notice-and-comment procedures. This applies to final rules issued in the five years before enactment and to rules issued after enactment.
SBA review for small-business certifications
If enacted, the bill would let any small business or group that represents them ask the SBA Chief Counsel for Advocacy to review an agency certification that a rule will not significantly affect many small businesses. Petitions would need contact details, a description of the problem, nonconfidential supporting data, and proposed alternatives. The Chief Counsel must screen petitions within 10 days, can open a full review, hold a meeting with the agency and OIRA, publish results within 30 days, and can require fuller regulatory flexibility analyses or deem rules not to apply to small entities if an agency fails to cooperate.
10-day deadline after agency certification
If enacted, the bill would require agencies to take the action tied to a certification not later than 10 days after completing that certification. This attaches a short timing deadline to agency steps under the certification process. The change is procedural and would let small businesses seek review and remedies faster.
Agencies must identify indirect small-business costs
If enacted, the bill would require agencies, where feasible, to identify reasonably foreseeable indirect costs a proposed rule may impose on small businesses. Examples include costs to firms that buy from or sell to regulated entities, firms regulated by other governments because of the rule, and firms affected by other agency rules the rule triggers. Agencies would also have to consider these indirect costs during the required 10-year rule reviews.
Agencies must publish guidance for small businesses
If enacted, the bill would require agencies that expect a rule to significantly affect many small businesses to post all guidance and interpretive materials online and allow public comment. Agencies must also publish updated guidance when they change how they interpret the rule. This would help small businesses find implementation guidance and give feedback on how rules are applied.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Finstad, Brad [R-MN-1]
MN • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Hageman, Harriet M. [R-WY-At Large]
WY • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Moran, Nathaniel [R-TX-1]
TX • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Salazar, Maria Elvira [R-FL-27]
FL • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9]
PA • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]
IA • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1]
WI • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Stauber, Pete [R-MN-8]
MN • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 2/11/2025
Rep. Fischbach, Michelle [R-MN-7]
MN • R
Sponsored 2/13/2025
Rep. Carey, Mike [R-OH-15]
OH • R
Sponsored 2/27/2025
Rep. Thompson, Glenn [R-PA-15]
PA • R
Sponsored 3/3/2025
Rep. Van Drew, Jefferson [R-NJ-2]
NJ • R
Sponsored 4/9/2025
Rep. Calvert, Ken [R-CA-41]
CA • R
Sponsored 5/21/2025
Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14]
TX • R
Sponsored 9/3/2025
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Rep. Bean, Aaron [R-FL-4]
FL • R
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Rep. Balderson, Troy [R-OH-12]
OH • R
Sponsored 9/8/2025
Rep. Van Duyne, Beth [R-TX-24]
TX • R
Sponsored 9/9/2025
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
GA • R
Sponsored 9/15/2025
Rep. Crank, Jeff [R-CO-5]
CO • R
Sponsored 10/6/2025
Rep. Taylor, David J. [R-OH-2]
OH • R
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Rep. Ciscomani, Juan [R-AZ-6]
AZ • R
Sponsored 11/7/2025
Rep. Mann, Tracey [R-KS-1]
KS • R
Sponsored 11/10/2025
Rep. Kennedy, Mike [R-UT-3]
UT • R
Sponsored 11/17/2025
Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]
KS • R
Sponsored 12/19/2025
Rep. Miller, Carol D. [R-WV-1]
WV • R
Sponsored 1/14/2026
Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]
CA • R
Sponsored 1/21/2026
Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2]
IA • R
Sponsored 2/9/2026
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 4/20/2026
Rep. Sessions, Pete [R-TX-17]
TX • R
Sponsored 6/9/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov