‘‘(f) If, before the passage by one House of a joint 
resolution of that House described in subsection (a), that 
House receives from the other House a joint resolution 
described in subsection (a), then the following procedures 
shall apply: 
‘‘(1) The joint resolution of the other House 
shall not be referred to a committee. 
‘‘(2) With respect to a joint resolution described 
in subsection (a) of the House receiving the joint 
resolution— 
‘‘(A) the procedure in that House shall be 
the same as if no joint resolution had been re-
ceived from the other House; but 
‘‘(B) the vote on final passage shall be on 
the joint resolution of the other House. 
‘‘§ 804. Definitions 
‘‘For purposes of this chapter: 
‘‘(1) The term ‘Federal agency’ means any 
agency as that term is defined in section 551(1). 
‘‘(2) The term ‘major rule’ means any rule, in-
cluding an interim final rule, that— 
‘‘(A) the Administrator of the Office of In-
formation and Regulatory Affairs of the Office 
of Management and Budget finds has resulted 
in or is likely to result in—
‘‘(i) an annual effect on the economy 
of $100 million or more; 
‘‘(ii) a major increase in costs or 
prices for consumers, individual industries, 
Federal, State, or local government agen-
cies, or geographic regions; or 
‘‘(iii) significant adverse effects on 
competition, employment, investment, pro-
ductivity, innovation, or on the ability of 
United States-based enterprises to compete 
with foreign-based enterprises in domestic 
and export markets; or 
‘‘(B) is made under the Patient Protection 
and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111– 
148). 
‘‘(3) The term ‘nonmajor rule’ means any rule 
that is not a major rule. 
‘‘(4) The term ‘rule’ has the meaning given 
such term in section 551, except that such term does 
not include— 
‘‘(A) any rule of particular applicability, 
including a rule that approves or prescribes for 
the future rates, wages, prices, services, or al-
lowances therefore, corporate or financial struc-
tures, reorganizations, mergers, or acquisitions
thereof, or accounting practices or disclosures 
bearing on any of the foregoing; 
‘‘(B) any rule relating to agency manage-
ment or personnel; or 
‘‘(C) any rule of agency organization, pro-
cedure, or practice that does not substantially 
affect the rights or obligations of non-agency 
parties. 
‘‘(5) The term ‘submission date or publication 
date’, except as otherwise provided in this chapter, 
means— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a major rule, the date 
on which the Congress receives the report sub-
mitted under section 801(a)(1); and 
‘‘(B) in the case of a nonmajor rule, the 
later of— 
‘‘(i) the date on which the Congress 
receives the report submitted under section 
801(a)(1); and 
‘‘(ii) the date on which the nonmajor 
rule is published in the Federal Register, if 
so published. 
‘‘§ 805. Judicial review 
‘‘(a) No determination, finding, action, or omission 
under this chapter shall be subject to judicial review.
‘‘(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), a court may de-
termine whether a Federal agency has completed the nec-
essary requirements under this chapter for a rule to take 
effect. 
‘‘(c) The enactment of a joint resolution of approval 
under section 802 shall not be interpreted to serve as a 
grant or modification of statutory authority by Congress 
for the promulgation of a rule, shall not extinguish or af-
fect any claim, whether substantive or procedural, against 
any alleged defect in a rule, and shall not form part of 
the record before the court in any judicial proceeding con-
cerning a rule except for purposes of determining whether 
or not the rule is in effect. 
‘‘§ 806. Exemption for monetary policy 
‘‘Nothing in this chapter shall apply to rules that con-
cern monetary policy proposed or implemented by the 
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or the 
Federal Open Market Committee. 
‘‘§ 807. Effective date of certain rules 
‘‘Notwithstanding section 801— 
‘‘(1) any rule that establishes, modifies, opens, 
closes, or conducts a regulatory program for a com-
mercial, recreational, or subsistence activity related 
to hunting, fishing, or camping; or
‘‘(2) any rule other than a major rule which an 
agency for good cause finds (and incorporates the 
finding and a brief statement of reasons therefore in 
the rule issued) that notice and public procedure 
thereon are impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary 
to the public interest, 
shall take effect at such time as the Federal agency pro-
mulgating the rule determines.’’. 
SEC. 4. BUDGETARY EFFECTS OF RULES SUBJECT TO SEC-
TION 802 OF TITLE 5, UNITED STATES CODE. 
Section 257(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emer-
gency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended by adding 
at the end the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) BUDGETARY
EFFECTS
OF
RULES 
SUBJECT TO SECTION 802 OF TITLE 5, UNITED 
STATES CODE.—Any rules subject to the con-
gressional approval procedure set forth in sec-
tion 802 of chapter 8 of title 5, United States 
Code, affecting budget authority, outlays, or re-
ceipts shall be assumed to be effective unless it 
is not approved in accordance with such sec-
tion.’’.
SEC. 5. GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE STUDY OF 
RULES. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Comptroller General of the 
United States shall conduct a study to determine, as of 
the date of the enactment of this Act— 
(1) how many rules (as such term is defined in 
section 804 of title 5, United States Code) were in 
effect; 
(2) how many major rules (as such term is de-
fined in section 804 of title 5, United States Code) 
were in effect; and 
(3) the total estimated economic cost imposed 
by all such rules. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of 
the United States shall submit a report to Congress that 
contains the findings of the study conducted under sub-
section (a). 
Passed the House of Representatives July 28, 2015. 
Attest: 
Clerk.
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 427 
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.