Peace Garden News

Congresswoman Julie Fedorchak from North Dakota has announced her support for H.R. 77, known as the Midnight Rules Relief Act. This legislation aims to enhance Congressional authority under the Congressional Review Act (CRA) by allowing multiple last-minute regulations issued by an outgoing administration to be overturned in a single vote.

Fedorchak highlighted the significant number of rules issued during the final months of President Biden's administration. "President Biden issued 1,406 rules during the last five months of his administration alone. His last-minute regulatory spree circumvented Congress, the elected representatives of the people," she stated. "The Midnight Rules Relief Act reins in bureaucratic overreach and puts power back where it belongs—with the American people."

Under current procedures, Congress must pass a separate joint resolution for each rule it wishes to disapprove, which can slow down efforts to address agency regulations. Fedorchak expressed concern about this process: “Undoing this avalanche of new regulations would tie up Congress for months if we had to consider them one by one. The Midnight Rules Relief Act will help provide the regulatory relief our families and businesses desperately need.”

The House passed the Midnight Rules Relief Act with a narrow vote of 212-208. The bill will now move on to the Senate for further consideration.