Did You Know? One Law in Particular Is Helping Rack Up Regulatory Wins for Small Business

Date: April 05, 2017

President Trump has successfully utilized the Congressional Review Act to reduce the regulatory burden on businesses.

Repealing Obama-era regulatory overreach such as the Waters of the United States rule and dismantling the Clean Power Plan for small businesses are among the president’s major successes during his first 100 days in office. Such swift action is thanks to a 21-year-old law known as the Congressional Review Act (CRA), reports Politico.

Small business owners rank “unreasonable government regulations” as their second most important problem, according to NFIB’s most recent Small Business Problems & Priorities report.

“Regulations have been in their top three concerns for 96 consecutive months,” said NFIB president and CEO Juanita Duggan regarding the president’s executive order on Jan. 30 aimed at curtailing regulations. “The President’s order is a good first step on the long road toward eliminating ball-and-chain regulations so small businesses can create jobs and expand the economy.” 

The Congressional Review Act allows Congress to review and ultimately overrule federal regulations issued by government agencies. Before the Trump administration, this power had been successfully invoked only once by President George W. Bush in March of 2001. Congress has the ability to invoke this rule within 60 legislative days, i.e. days when Congress is in session as opposed to calendar days. Due to a short calendar year in 2016, the 115th Congress has the ability to repeal Obama-era rules dating back to May 2016. Any rules selected for repeal through the CRA only require a majority vote, providing a clearer legislative path than most legislation.

Speaker Ryan has called the CRA, “the quickest, most sure-fire way to undo President Obama’s liberal, jobs-crushing legacy.”

Politico reports that this once-obscure law is unlikely to be used again during the Trump administration’s tenure after May 9. The current flurry of use is largely due to the changeover in the White House from one political party to another.

 

Related Articles:

NFIB to Legislators: Regulations are Crushing Small Business

Next Up in the Regulation Rollback? The Burdensome EPA WOTUS Rule

New Clean Power Plan Order Reduces Compliance Burdens, Lowers Cost of Energy

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