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Union Calendar No. 483 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4768 

[Report No. 114–622] 

To amend title 5, United States Code, with respect to the judicial review 

of agency interpretations of statutory and regulatory provisions. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 16, 2016 

Mr. RATCLIFFE (for himself, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. MARINO, Mr. CHAFFETZ, 

Mr. BUCK, Mr. YOHO, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. BYRNE, Mr. BRAT, Mrs. 

LOVE, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, Mr. BABIN, Mr. SALMON, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. ROUZER, Mr. BISHOP of Michigan, Mr. PALMER, Mr. 

MESSER, Mr. MULVANEY, Mr. LABRADOR, Mr. TROTT, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. 

SCHWEIKERT, Mr. DESANTIS, Mr. LOUDERMILK, Mr. ISSA, Mr. 

WESTERMAN, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. CULBERSON, Mrs. LUMMIS, Mr. WALKER, Mr. OLSON, Mr. SMITH of Missouri, Mr. KELLY of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

RENACCI, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. GOSAR, Mrs. 

MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. GRAVES of Georgia, 

Mr. CHABOT, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. GRIFFITH, 

and Mr. SMITH of Texas) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JUNE 14, 2016 

Additional sponsors: Mr. JODY B. HICE of Georgia, Mr. MILLER of Florida, 

Mr. AMODEI, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. ROSS, Mr. KELLY of Mississippi, 

Mr. KNIGHT, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. HARDY, Mr. ALLEN, Mr. FORBES, Mr. 

BRADY of Texas, Mr. ROKITA, Mr. STEWART, Mr. TOM PRICE of Georgia, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. LAMBORN, 

Mr. POSEY, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mrs. MIMI WALTERS of California, 

Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. GIBBS, Mr. RIBBLE, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SAM

JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. HURD of Texas, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. RIGELL, Mr. MCHENRY, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. 

GUINTA, Mr. RODNEY DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. FINCHER, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. 

GOHMERT, Mr. BARR, Mr. GARRETT, Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mrs. BLACK, 

Mr. FLORES, Mr. DESJARLAIS, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. YODER, Mr. 

WILLIAMS, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. HOLDING, Mr. GOWDY, Mr. SHIMKUS, 


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•HR 4768 RH

Mr. CARTER of Texas, Mr. GRAVES of Louisiana, Mr. TIPTON, Mr. HILL, 

Mr. CARTER of Georgia, Mr. EMMER of Minnesota, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. 

LAHOOD, Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan, Mr. HUELSKAMP, Mr. 

PITTENGER, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mrs. WAGNER, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT

of Georgia, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. ROTHFUS, and Mr. HUDSON

JUNE 14, 2016 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House 

on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed 

[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on March 16, 2016] 

A BILL 

To amend title 5, United States Code, with respect to the 

judicial review of agency interpretations of statutory and 

regulatory provisions. 


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•HR 4768 RH

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Separation of Powers 

5 Restoration Act of 2016’’. 

6 SEC. 2. JUDICIAL REVIEW OF STATUTORY AND REGU7 LATORY INTERPRETATIONS. 

8 Section 706 of title 5, United States Code, is amend9 ed— 

10 (1) by striking ‘‘To the extent necessary’’ and in11 serting ‘‘(a) To the extent necessary’’; 

12 (2) by striking ‘‘decide all relevant questions of 

13 law, interpret constitutional and statutory provisions, 

14 and’’; 

15 (3) by inserting after ‘‘of the terms of an agency 

16 action’’ the following ‘‘and decide de novo all relevant 

17 questions of law, including the interpretation of con18 stitutional and statutory provisions, and rules made 

19 by agencies. Notwithstanding any other provision of 

20 law, this subsection shall apply in any action for ju21 dicial review of agency action authorized under any 

22 provision of law. No law may exempt any such civil 

23 action from the application of this section except by 

24 specific reference to this section’’; and 


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•HR 4768 RH

1 (4) by striking ‘‘The reviewing court shall—’’ 

2 and inserting the following: 

3 ‘‘(b) The reviewing court shall—’’. 

Amend the title so as to read: ‘‘A bill to amend title 

5, United States Code, to clarify the nature of judicial review of agency interpretations of statutory and regulatory 

provisions.’’. 


sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS

sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
Union Calendar No. 483 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4768 

[Report No. 114–622] 

A BILL 

To amend title 5, United States Code, with respect 

statutory and regulatory provisions. to the judicial review of agency interpretations of 

JUNE 14, 2016 

Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee 

dered to be printed of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and orVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:28 Jun 14, 2016 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6651 Sfmt 6651 E:\BILLS\H4768.RH H4768

sradovich on DSK3TPTVN1PROD with BILLS