IIB 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 367 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 

Received; read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 

Governmental Affairs 

AN ACT 

To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide 

that major rules of the executive branch shall have no 

force or effect unless a joint resolution of approval is 

enacted into law. 

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


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1 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

2 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Regulations From the 

3 Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act of 2013’’. 

4 SEC. 2. PURPOSE. 

5 The purpose of this Act is to increase accountability 

6 for and transparency in the Federal regulatory process. 

7 Section 1 of article I of the United States Constitution 

8 grants all legislative powers to Congress. Over time, Con9 gress has excessively delegated its constitutional charge 

10 while failing to conduct appropriate oversight and retain 

11 accountability for the content of the laws it passes. By 

12 requiring a vote in Congress, the REINS Act will result 

13 in more carefully drafted and detailed legislation, an im14 proved regulatory process, and a legislative branch that 

15 is truly accountable to the American people for the laws 

16 imposed upon them. Moreover, as a tax on carbon emis17 sions increases energy costs on consumers, reduces eco18 nomic growth and is therefore detrimental to individuals, 

19 families and businesses, the REINS Act includes in the 

20 definition of a major rule, any rule that implements or 

21 provides for the imposition or collection of a tax on carbon 

22 emissions. 

23 SEC. 3. CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW OF AGENCY RULE24 MAKING. 

25 Chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, is amended 

26 to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘CHAPTER 8—CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW 

2 OF AGENCY RULEMAKING 

‘‘Sec. 

‘‘801. Congressional review. 

‘‘802. Congressional approval procedure for major rules. 

‘‘803. Congressional disapproval procedure for nonmajor rules. 

‘‘804. Definitions. 

‘‘805. Judicial review. 

‘‘806. Exemption for monetary policy. 

‘‘807. Effective date of certain rules. 

3 ‘‘§ 801. Congressional review 

4 ‘‘(a)(1)(A) Before a rule may take effect, the Federal 

5 agency promulgating such rule shall submit to each House 

6 of the Congress and to the Comptroller General a report 

7 containing— 

8 ‘‘(i) a copy of the rule; 

9 ‘‘(ii) a concise general statement relating to the 

10 rule; 

11 ‘‘(iii) a classification of the rule as a major or 

12 nonmajor rule, including an explanation of the clas13 sification specifically addressing each criteria for a 

14 major rule contained within clauses (i) through (iii) 

15 of section 804(2)(A) or within section 804(2)(B); 

16 ‘‘(iv) a list of any other related regulatory ac17 tions taken by or that will be taken by the Federal 

18 agency promulgating the rule that are intended to 

19 implement the same statutory provision or regu20 latory objective as well as the individual and aggre21 gate economic effects of those actions; 


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1 ‘‘(v) a list of any other related regulatory ac2 tions taken by or that will be taken by any other 

3 Federal agency with authority to implement the 

4 same statutory provision or regulatory objective that 

5 are intended to implement such provision or objec6 tive, of which the Federal agency promulgating the 

7 rule is aware, as well as the individual and aggre8 gate economic effects of those actions; and 

9 ‘‘(vi) the proposed effective date of the rule. 

10 ‘‘(B) On the date of the submission of the report 

11 under subparagraph (A), the Federal agency promulgating 

12 the rule shall submit to the Comptroller General and make 

13 available to each House of Congress— 

14 ‘‘(i) a complete copy of the cost-benefit analysis 

15 of the rule, if any, including an analysis of any jobs 

16 added or lost, differentiating between public and pri17 vate sector jobs; 

18 ‘‘(ii) the agency’s actions pursuant to sections 

19 603, 604, 605, 607, and 609 of this title; 

20 ‘‘(iii) the agency’s actions pursuant to sections 

21 202, 203, 204, and 205 of the Unfunded Mandates 

22 Reform Act of 1995; and 

23 ‘‘(iv) any other relevant information or require24 ments under any other Act and any relevant Execu25 tive orders. 


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1 ‘‘(C) Upon receipt of a report submitted under sub2 paragraph (A), each House shall provide copies of the re3 port to the chairman and ranking member of each stand4 ing committee with jurisdiction under the rules of the 

5 House of Representatives or the Senate to report a bill 

6 to amend the provision of law under which the rule is 

7 issued. 

8 ‘‘(2)(A) The Comptroller General shall provide a re9 port on each major rule to the committees of jurisdiction 

10 by the end of 15 calendar days after the submission or 

11 publication date. The report of the Comptroller General 

12 shall include an assessment of the agency’s compliance 

13 with procedural steps required by paragraph (1)(B) and 

14 an assessment of whether the major rule imposes any new 

15 limits or mandates on private-sector activity. 

16 ‘‘(B) Federal agencies shall cooperate with the Comp17 troller General by providing information relevant to the 

18 Comptroller General’s report under subparagraph (A). 

19 ‘‘(3) A major rule relating to a report submitted 

20 under paragraph (1) shall take effect upon enactment of 

21 a joint resolution of approval described in section 802 or 

22 as provided for in the rule following enactment of a joint 

23 resolution of approval described in section 802, whichever 

24 is later. 


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1 ‘‘(4) A nonmajor rule shall take effect as provided 

2 by section 803 after submission to Congress under para3 graph (1). 

4 ‘‘(5) If a joint resolution of approval relating to a 

5 major rule is not enacted within the period provided in 

6 subsection (b)(2), then a joint resolution of approval relat7 ing to the same rule may not be considered under this 

8 chapter in the same Congress by either the House of Rep9 resentatives or the Senate. 

10 ‘‘(b)(1) A major rule shall not take effect unless the 

11 Congress enacts a joint resolution of approval described 

12 under section 802. 

13 ‘‘(2) If a joint resolution described in subsection (a) 

14 is not enacted into law by the end of 70 session days or 

15 legislative days, as applicable, beginning on the date on 

16 which the report referred to in section 801(a)(1)(A) is re17 ceived by Congress (excluding days either House of Con18 gress is adjourned for more than 3 days during a session 

19 of Congress), then the rule described in that resolution 

20 shall be deemed not to be approved and such rule shall 

21 not take effect. 

22 ‘‘(c)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this 

23 section (except subject to paragraph (3)), a major rule 

24 may take effect for one 90-calendar-day period if the 

25 President makes a determination under paragraph (2) and 


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1 submits written notice of such determination to the Con2 gress. 

3 ‘‘(2) Paragraph (1) applies to a determination made 

4 by the President by Executive order that the major rule 

5 should take effect because such rule is— 

6 ‘‘(A) necessary because of an imminent threat 

7 to health or safety or other emergency; 

8 ‘‘(B) necessary for the enforcement of criminal 

9 laws; 

10 ‘‘(C) necessary for national security; or 

11 ‘‘(D) issued pursuant to any statute imple12 menting an international trade agreement. 

13 ‘‘(3) An exercise by the President of the authority 

14 under this subsection shall have no effect on the proce15 dures under section 802. 

16 ‘‘(d)(1) In addition to the opportunity for review oth17 erwise provided under this chapter, in the case of any rule 

18 for which a report was submitted in accordance with sub19 section (a)(1)(A) during the period beginning on the date 

20 occurring— 

21 ‘‘(A) in the case of the Senate, 60 session days, 

22 or 

23 ‘‘(B) in the case of the House of Representa24 tives, 60 legislative days, 


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1 before the date the Congress is scheduled to adjourn a 

2 session of Congress through the date on which the same 

3 or succeeding Congress first convenes its next session, sec4 tions 802 and 803 shall apply to such rule in the suc5 ceeding session of Congress. 

6 ‘‘(2)(A) In applying sections 802 and 803 for pur7 poses of such additional review, a rule described under 

8 paragraph (1) shall be treated as though— 

9 ‘‘(i) such rule were published in the Federal 

10 Register on— 

11 ‘‘(I) in the case of the Senate, the 15th 

12 session day, or 

13 ‘‘(II) in the case of the House of Rep14 resentatives, the 15th legislative day, 

15 after the succeeding session of Congress first con16 venes; and 

17 ‘‘(ii) a report on such rule were submitted to 

18 Congress under subsection (a)(1) on such date. 

19 ‘‘(B) Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed 

20 to affect the requirement under subsection (a)(1) that a 

21 report shall be submitted to Congress before a rule can 

22 take effect. 

23 ‘‘(3) A rule described under paragraph (1) shall take 

24 effect as otherwise provided by law (including other sub25 sections of this section). 


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1 ‘‘§ 802. Congressional approval procedure for major 

2 rules 

3 ‘‘(a)(1) For purposes of this section, the term ‘joint 

4 resolution’ means only a joint resolution addressing a re5 port classifying a rule as major pursuant to section 

6 801(a)(1)(A)(iii) that— 

7 ‘‘(A) bears no preamble; 

8 ‘‘(B) bears the following title (with blanks filled 

9 as appropriate): ‘Approving the rule submitted by 

10 lll relating to lll.’; 

11 ‘‘(C) includes after its resolving clause only the 

12 following (with blanks filled as appropriate): ‘That 

13 Congress approves the rule submitted by lll re14 lating to lll.’; and 

15 ‘‘(D) is introduced pursuant to paragraph (2). 

16 ‘‘(2) After a House of Congress receives a report 

17 classifying a rule as major pursuant to section 

18 801(a)(1)(A)(iii), the majority leader of that House (or 

19 his or her respective designee) shall introduce (by request, 

20 if appropriate) a joint resolution described in paragraph 

21 (1)— 

22 ‘‘(A) in the case of the House of Representa23 tives, within three legislative days; and 

24 ‘‘(B) in the case of the Senate, within three ses25 sion days. 


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1 ‘‘(3) A joint resolution described in paragraph (1) 

2 shall not be subject to amendment at any stage of pro3 ceeding. 

4 ‘‘(b) A joint resolution described in subsection (a) 

5 shall be referred in each House of Congress to the commit6 tees having jurisdiction over the provision of law under 

7 which the rule is issued. 

8 ‘‘(c) In the Senate, if the committee or committees 

9 to which a joint resolution described in subsection (a) has 

10 been referred have not reported it at the end of 15 session 

11 days after its introduction, such committee or committees 

12 shall be automatically discharged from further consider13 ation of the resolution and it shall be placed on the cal14 endar. A vote on final passage of the resolution shall be 

15 taken on or before the close of the 15th session day after 

16 the resolution is reported by the committee or committees 

17 to which it was referred, or after such committee or com18 mittees have been discharged from further consideration 

19 of the resolution. 

20 ‘‘(d)(1) In the Senate, when the committee or com21 mittees to which a joint resolution is referred have re22 ported, or when a committee or committees are discharged 

23 (under subsection (c)) from further consideration of a 

24 joint resolution described in subsection (a), it is at any 

25 time thereafter in order (even though a previous motion 


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1 to the same effect has been disagreed to) for a motion 

2 to proceed to the consideration of the joint resolution, and 

3 all points of order against the joint resolution (and against 

4 consideration of the joint resolution) are waived. The mo5 tion is not subject to amendment, or to a motion to post6 pone, or to a motion to proceed to the consideration of 

7 other business. A motion to reconsider the vote by which 

8 the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in 

9 order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of the 

10 joint resolution is agreed to, the joint resolution shall re11 main the unfinished business of the Senate until disposed 

12 of. 

13 ‘‘(2) In the Senate, debate on the joint resolution, 

14 and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection 

15 therewith, shall be limited to not more than 2 hours, which 

16 shall be divided equally between those favoring and those 

17 opposing the joint resolution. A motion to further limit 

18 debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment to, 

19 or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the 

20 consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit 

21 the joint resolution is not in order. 

22 ‘‘(3) In the Senate, immediately following the conclu23 sion of the debate on a joint resolution described in sub24 section (a), and a single quorum call at the conclusion of 

25 the debate if requested in accordance with the rules of the 


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1 Senate, the vote on final passage of the joint resolution 

2 shall occur. 

3 ‘‘(4) Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating 

4 to the application of the rules of the Senate to the proce5 dure relating to a joint resolution described in subsection 

6 (a) shall be decided without debate. 

7 ‘‘(e) In the House of Representatives, if any com8 mittee to which a joint resolution described in subsection 

9 (a) has been referred has not reported it to the House 

10 at the end of 15 legislative days after its introduction, 

11 such committee shall be discharged from further consider12 ation of the joint resolution, and it shall be placed on the 

13 appropriate calendar. On the second and fourth Thursdays 

14 of each month it shall be in order at any time for the 

15 Speaker to recognize a Member who favors passage of a 

16 joint resolution that has appeared on the calendar for at 

17 least 5 legislative days to call up that joint resolution for 

18 immediate consideration in the House without intervention 

19 of any point of order. When so called up a joint resolution 

20 shall be considered as read and shall be debatable for 1 

21 hour equally divided and controlled by the proponent and 

22 an opponent, and the previous question shall be considered 

23 as ordered to its passage without intervening motion. It 

24 shall not be in order to reconsider the vote on passage. 

25 If a vote on final passage of the joint resolution has not 


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1 been taken by the third Thursday on which the Speaker 

2 may recognize a Member under this subsection, such vote 

3 shall be taken on that day. 

4 ‘‘(f)(1) If, before passing a joint resolution described 

5 in subsection (a), one House receives from the other a 

6 joint resolution having the same text, then— 

7 ‘‘(A) the joint resolution of the other House 

8 shall not be referred to a committee; and 

9 ‘‘(B) the procedure in the receiving House shall 

10 be the same as if no joint resolution had been re11 ceived from the other House until the vote on pas12 sage, when the joint resolution received from the 

13 other House shall supplant the joint resolution of 

14 the receiving House. 

15 ‘‘(2) This subsection shall not apply to the House of 

16 Representatives if the joint resolution received from the 

17 Senate is a revenue measure. 

18 ‘‘(g) If either House has not taken a vote on final 

19 passage of the joint resolution by the last day of the period 

20 described in section 801(b)(2), then such vote shall be 

21 taken on that day. 

22 ‘‘(h) This section and section 803 are enacted by 

23 Congress— 

24 ‘‘(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of 

25 the Senate and House of Representatives, respecVerDate Mar 15 2010 23:53 Sep 09, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00013 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H367.RFS H367

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1 tively, and as such is deemed to be part of the rules 

2 of each House, respectively, but applicable only with 

3 respect to the procedure to be followed in that 

4 House in the case of a joint resolution described in 

5 subsection (a) and superseding other rules only 

6 where explicitly so; and 

7 ‘‘(2) with full recognition of the Constitutional 

8 right of either House to change the rules (so far as 

9 they relate to the procedure of that House) at any 

10 time, in the same manner and to the same extent as 

11 in the case of any other rule of that House. 

12 ‘‘§ 803. Congressional disapproval procedure for 

13 nonmajor rules 

14 ‘‘(a) For purposes of this section, the term ‘joint res15 olution’ means only a joint resolution introduced in the 

16 period beginning on the date on which the report referred 

17 to in section 801(a)(1)(A) is received by Congress and 

18 ending 60 days thereafter (excluding days either House 

19 of Congress is adjourned for more than 3 days during a 

20 session of Congress), the matter after the resolving clause 

21 of which is as follows: ‘That Congress disapproves the 

22 nonmajor rule submitted by the lll relating to 

23 lll, and such rule shall have no force or effect.’ (The 

24 blank spaces being appropriately filled in). 


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1 ‘‘(b) A joint resolution described in subsection (a) 

2 shall be referred to the committees in each House of Con3 gress with jurisdiction. 

4 ‘‘(c) In the Senate, if the committee to which is re5 ferred a joint resolution described in subsection (a) has 

6 not reported such joint resolution (or an identical joint 

7 resolution) at the end of 15 session days after the date 

8 of introduction of the joint resolution, such committee may 

9 be discharged from further consideration of such joint res10 olution upon a petition supported in writing by 30 Mem11 bers of the Senate, and such joint resolution shall be 

12 placed on the calendar. 

13 ‘‘(d)(1) In the Senate, when the committee to which 

14 a joint resolution is referred has reported, or when a com15 mittee is discharged (under subsection (c)) from further 

16 consideration of a joint resolution described in subsection 

17 (a), it is at any time thereafter in order (even though a 

18 previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to) 

19 for a motion to proceed to the consideration of the joint 

20 resolution, and all points of order against the joint resolu21 tion (and against consideration of the joint resolution) are 

22 waived. The motion is not subject to amendment, or to 

23 a motion to postpone, or to a motion to proceed to the 

24 consideration of other business. A motion to reconsider the 

25 vote by which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall 


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1 not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration 

2 of the joint resolution is agreed to, the joint resolution 

3 shall remain the unfinished business of the Senate until 

4 disposed of. 

5 ‘‘(2) In the Senate, debate on the joint resolution, 

6 and on all debatable motions and appeals in connection 

7 therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, 

8 which shall be divided equally between those favoring and 

9 those opposing the joint resolution. A motion to further 

10 limit debate is in order and not debatable. An amendment 

11 to, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to 

12 the consideration of other business, or a motion to recom13 mit the joint resolution is not in order. 

14 ‘‘(3) In the Senate, immediately following the conclu15 sion of the debate on a joint resolution described in sub16 section (a), and a single quorum call at the conclusion of 

17 the debate if requested in accordance with the rules of the 

18 Senate, the vote on final passage of the joint resolution 

19 shall occur. 

20 ‘‘(4) Appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating 

21 to the application of the rules of the Senate to the proce22 dure relating to a joint resolution described in subsection 

23 (a) shall be decided without debate. 


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1 ‘‘(e) In the Senate the procedure specified in sub2 section (c) or (d) shall not apply to the consideration of 

3 a joint resolution respecting a nonmajor rule— 

4 ‘‘(1) after the expiration of the 60 session days 

5 beginning with the applicable submission or publica6 tion date, or 

7 ‘‘(2) if the report under section 801(a)(1)(A) 

8 was submitted during the period referred to in sec9 tion 801(d)(1), after the expiration of the 60 session 

10 days beginning on the 15th session day after the 

11 succeeding session of Congress first convenes. 

12 ‘‘(f) If, before the passage by one House of a joint 

13 resolution of that House described in subsection (a), that 

14 House receives from the other House a joint resolution 

15 described in subsection (a), then the following procedures 

16 shall apply: 

17 ‘‘(1) The joint resolution of the other House 

18 shall not be referred to a committee. 

19 ‘‘(2) With respect to a joint resolution described 

20 in subsection (a) of the House receiving the joint 

21 resolution— 

22 ‘‘(A) the procedure in that House shall be 

23 the same as if no joint resolution had been re24 ceived from the other House; but 


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1 ‘‘(B) the vote on final passage shall be on 

2 the joint resolution of the other House. 

3 ‘‘§ 804. Definitions 

4 ‘‘For purposes of this chapter— 

5 ‘‘(1) The term ‘Federal agency’ means any 

6 agency as that term is defined in section 551(1). 

7 ‘‘(2) The term ‘major rule’ means any rule, in8 cluding an interim final rule, that the Administrator 

9 of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs 

10 of the Office of Management and Budget finds— 

11 ‘‘(A) has resulted in or is likely to result 

12 in— 

13 ‘‘(i) an annual effect on the economy 

14 of $50,000,000 or more; 

15 ‘‘(ii) a major increase in costs or 

16 prices for consumers, individual industries, 

17 Federal, State, or local government agen18 cies, or geographic regions; or 

19 ‘‘(iii) significant adverse effects on 

20 competition, employment, investment, pro21 ductivity, innovation, or on the ability of 

22 United States-based enterprises to compete 

23 with foreign-based enterprises in domestic 

24 and export markets; or 


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1 ‘‘(B) is made by the Administrator of the 

2 Environmental Protection Agency and that 

3 would have a significant impact on a substan4 tial number of agricultural entities, as deter5 mined by the Secretary of Agriculture (who 

6 shall publish such determination in the Federal 

7 Register); 

8 ‘‘(C) is a rule that implements or provides 

9 for the imposition or collection of a carbon tax; 

10 or 

11 ‘‘(D) is made under the Patient Protection 

12 and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111– 

13 148). 

14 ‘‘(3) The term ‘nonmajor rule’ means any rule 

15 that is not a major rule. 

16 ‘‘(4) The term ‘rule’ has the meaning given 

17 such term in section 551, except that such term does 

18 not include any rule of particular applicability, in19 cluding a rule that approves or prescribes for the fu20 ture rates, wages, prices, services, or allowances 

21 therefore, corporate or financial structures, reorga22 nizations, mergers, or acquisitions thereof, or ac23 counting practices or disclosures bearing on any of 

24 the foregoing. 


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1 ‘‘(5) The term ‘submission date or publication 

2 date’, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, 

3 means— 

4 ‘‘(A) in the case of a major rule, the date 

5 on which the Congress receives the report sub6 mitted under section 801(a)(1); and 

7 ‘‘(B) in the case of a nonmajor rule, the 

8 later of— 

9 ‘‘(i) the date on which the Congress 

10 receives the report submitted under section 

11 801(a)(1); and 

12 ‘‘(ii) the date on which the nonmajor 

13 rule is published in the Federal Register, if 

14 so published. 

15 ‘‘(6) The term ‘agricultural entity’ means any 

16 entity involved in or related to agricultural enter17 prise, including enterprises that are engaged in the 

18 business of production of food and fiber, ranching 

19 and raising of livestock, aquaculture, and all other 

20 farming and agricultural related industries. 

21 ‘‘(7) The term ‘carbon tax’ means a fee, levy, 

22 or price on— 

23 ‘‘(A) emissions, including carbon dioxide 

24 emissions generated by the burning of coal, nat25 ural gas, or oil; or 


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1 ‘‘(B) coal, natural gas, or oil based on 

2 emissions, including carbon dioxide emissions 

3 that would be generated through the fuel’s com4 bustion. 

5 ‘‘§ 805. Judicial review 

6 ‘‘(a) No determination, finding, action, or omission 

7 under this chapter shall be subject to judicial review. 

8 ‘‘(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a court may de9 termine whether a Federal agency has completed the nec10 essary requirements under this chapter for a rule to take 

11 effect. 

12 ‘‘(c) The enactment of a joint resolution of approval 

13 under section 802 shall not be interpreted to serve as a 

14 grant or modification of statutory authority by Congress 

15 for the promulgation of a rule, shall not extinguish or af16 fect any claim, whether substantive or procedural, against 

17 any alleged defect in a rule, and shall not form part of 

18 the record before the court in any judicial proceeding con19 cerning a rule except for purposes of determining whether 

20 or not the rule is in effect. 

21 ‘‘§ 806. Exemption for monetary policy 

22 ‘‘Nothing in this chapter shall apply to rules that con23 cern monetary policy proposed or implemented by the 

24 Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the 

25 Federal Open Market Committee. 


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1 ‘‘§ 807. Effective date of certain rules 

2 ‘‘Notwithstanding section 801— 

3 ‘‘(1) any rule that establishes, modifies, opens, 

4 closes, or conducts a regulatory program for a com5 mercial, recreational, or subsistence activity related 

6 to hunting, fishing, or camping; or 

7 ‘‘(2) any rule other than a major rule which an 

8 agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the 

9 finding and a brief statement of reasons therefore in 

10 the rule issued) that notice and public procedure 

11 thereon are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary 

12 to the public interest, 

13 shall take effect at such time as the Federal agency pro14 mulgating the rule determines.’’. 

15 SEC. 4. BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF RULES SUBJECT TO SEC16 TION 802 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE. 

17 Section 257(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emer18 gency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended by adding 

19 at the end the following new subparagraph: 

20 ‘‘(E) BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF RULES

21 SUBJECT TO SECTION 802 OF TITLE 5, UNITED

22 STATES CODE.—Any rules subject to the con23 gressional approval procedure set forth in sec24 tion 802 of chapter 8 of title 5, United States 

25 Code, affecting budget authority, outlays, or re26 ceipts shall be assumed to be effective unless it 


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1 is not approved in accordance with such sec2 tion.’’. 

3 SEC. 5. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY OF 

4 RULES. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 

6 United States shall conduct a study to determine, as of 

7 the date of the enactment of this Act— 

8 (1) how many rules (as such term is defined in 

9 section 804 of title 5, United States Code) were in 

10 effect; 

11 (2) how many major rules (as such term is de12 fined in section 804 of title 5, United States Code) 

13 were in effect; and 

14 (3) the total estimated economic cost imposed 

15 by all such rules. 

16 (b) REPORT.—Not later than one year after the date 

17 of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 

18 the United States shall submit a report to Congress that 

19 contains the findings of the study conducted under sub20 section (a). 

Passed the House of Representatives August 2, 

2013. 

Attest: KAREN L. HAAS, 

Clerk. 


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