Regulation Decimation Act

Bill Number: H.R. 710
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Government Operations and Politics
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-01-23: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Last Updated: 2026-03-17T08:05:36Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

The Regulation Decimation Act aims to reduce the overall regulatory burden on the public by requiring federal agencies to repeal multiple existing regulations before issuing new ones, promoting a net decrease in rules and associated costs.

Key Provisions

Repeal Requirement for New Rules: Federal agencies cannot issue any new rule unless they first repeal at least 10 existing rules. These repealed rules should, where possible, be related to the subject of the new rule.
Stricter Rules for Major Rules: For "major rules" (rules with significant economic impacts, as defined under existing law), agencies must repeal at least 10 related rules, and the estimated cost of the new major rule must not exceed the total cost of the repealed rules. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) within the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must certify compliance with the cost requirement.
Publication and Applicability:
All repealed rules must be published in the Federal Register (the official journal for federal agency notices).
The law applies only to rules that impose costs or responsibilities on private individuals, businesses, states, or local governments.
It does not apply to rules about an agency's internal operations, government procurement (purchasing processes), or rules that are being updated to reduce burdens or compliance costs.
Agency Review and Reporting:
Within 90 days of the law's enactment, each agency head must submit a report to Congress and the OMB Director reviewing all agency rules to identify those that are costly, ineffective, duplicative, or outdated, including any other unnecessary restrictions.
Within 5 years of enactment, the President must report to Congress on the total number of rules in effect and progress toward reducing them over the prior 5 years.
Definitions:
Agency, rule, and major rule follow standard definitions in the Administrative Procedure Act (a key U.S. law governing how agencies create rules).
State includes U.S. states, the District of Columbia, territories, possessions, and federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This introduces a mandatory "one-in-ten-out" policy, forcing agencies to offset new regulations with repeals of old ones—a novel quota not present in current law.
For major rules, it adds a cost-neutrality requirement with OIRA certification, building on but expanding existing regulatory review processes under laws like the Congressional Review Act and Executive Order 12866 (which already requires cost-benefit analysis but does not mandate repeals).
It mandates proactive agency reviews and presidential reporting, shifting from voluntary deregulation efforts to enforced reductions.

Potential Impacts

On Government Agencies: Agencies may issue far fewer new rules, prioritizing deregulation and reviews, which could slow policy implementation in areas like environment, health, or labor. This might increase administrative workload for identifying and repealing rules.
On Citizens and Businesses: Reduced regulations could lower compliance costs and burdens for individuals, companies, and state/local governments, potentially fostering economic growth but risking weaker protections in areas like safety or consumer rights.
On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, though it could affect U.S. compliance with international agreements involving regulatory standards (e.g., trade or environmental pacts) if key rules are repealed.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies: Directly responsible for compliance, reviews, and reporting (e.g., EPA, FDA, Department of Labor).
Businesses and Private Citizens: Benefit from potential cost reductions but may face uncertainty if protective rules are repealed.
State, Local Governments, and Tribes: Relieved of some federal mandates but could see gaps in coordinated oversight.
Congress and OMB/OIRA: Gain oversight tools through reports and certifications, enhancing legislative and executive control over rulemaking.
Advocacy Groups: Industry groups may support deregulation, while public interest organizations (e.g., environmental or consumer advocates) may oppose it.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Could face challenges under the Administrative Procedure Act if seen as overly restrictive on agencies' rulemaking authority, potentially requiring courts to interpret "related" rules or cost calculations. The exemptions for less burdensome revisions preserve some flexibility.
Constitutional: Raises questions about separation of powers, as it limits executive branch discretion (agencies are part of the executive) and enhances congressional oversight, aligning with non-delegation doctrine concerns (the idea that Congress cannot overly delegate lawmaking to agencies).
Political: Positions as a tool for reducing federal overreach, likely appealing to deregulation advocates; its "decimation" framing (implying drastic cuts) underscores a partisan push for smaller government, but implementation could lead to debates over which rules to repeal.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Taylor, David [R-OH-2]

Cosponsors (12)

Rep. Harris, Mark [R-NC-8], Rep. Rulli, Michael A. [R-OH-6], Rep. Stutzman, Marlin A. [R-IN-3], Rep. Collins, Mike [R-GA-10], Rep. Hamadeh, Abraham [R-AZ-8], Rep. Wied, Tony [R-WI-8], Rep. Gill, Brandon [R-TX-26], Rep. Weber, Randy K. Sr. [R-TX-14], Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1], Rep. Tiffany, Thomas P. [R-WI-7], Rep. Bergman, Jack [R-MI-1], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]

Recent Actions

2025-01-23: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-01-23: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2025-01-23: Introduced in House
2025-01-23: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Regulation Decimation Act — issued 2025-01-23 — PDF (4 pages)