Schmidt introduces legislation to return American government to American people
Congressman Derek Schmidt (KS-02) announced he has introduced the Congressional Review Reform Act. This legislation would eliminate the Congressional Review Act’s 60 legislative day lookback period, allowing Congress to disapprove of any federal agency rule, regardless of when it was implemented.
Joining Congressman Schmidt to introduce the CRRA are Representatives Harriet Hageman (WY-AL) and Andy Biggs (AZ-05).
“Kansans don’t need the federal government telling us what kind of cars we can drive, how to heat our homes, or micromanaging how to run our business, yet that’s the result of decades of unelected bureaucrats piling regulation atop regulation,” said Congressman Schmidt. “There is no reason Congress’s ability to review and undo the nearly 200,000 pages of rules in the Federal Register should be limited to a short and arbitrary time window after the regulation is imposed. Taming the administrative state is one of the most meaningful things we can to do restore Americans’ personal liberties. Congress has Article I power and obligation to make federal laws; it’s time to start acting like it.”
“Congress should not be boxed out of consistent oversight over regulations issued by bureaucrats,” said Congresswoman Hageman. “The Congressional Review Reform Act strengthens our oversight by eliminating arbitrary deadlines and restoring Congress' constitutional authority. This bill ensures that any rule can be reviewed and expelled swiftly if it exceeds legal bounds. This is about accountability, not convenience, and locking in reforms so administrative agencies can never sidestep the will of the people.”
“The Congressional Review Reform Act will bolster Congress’s ability to check unelected bureaucrats who feverishly write new federal rules before the end of a presidential administration,” said Congressman Biggs. “Congressman Schmidt’s bill works in tandem with my Midnight Rules Relief Act—which the House has already passed—to break down the massive administrative state in Washington, DC.”
Last month, Congressman Schmidt spoke on the House floor about how overregulation stifles growth, hampers innovation, and makes it harder for American businesses to succeed.
BACKGROUND
The number of pages in the Federal Register has exploded from just over 20,000 in 1965 to nearly 200,000 in 2025, an almost 900% increase.
The Congressional Review Act (CRA) was originally passed in 1996 as a part of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, which allowed small businesses increased participation in the federal regulatory process. The CRA allows Congress to file a joint resolution of disapproval within 60 legislative days of the enactment of any federal agency rule. This period is known as the “CRA lookback window.” Following introduction, the resolution must be approved by both chambers of Congress before being signed by the President.
From August 16, 2024-January 20, 2025, the Biden administration issued a staggering 1,406 agency rules. Under current law, Congress is only able to disapprove Biden-era rules promulgated during this period.
H.R. 4112, the Congressional Review Reform Act, would eliminate the 60-day lookback period, allowing Congress to disapprove any federal agency rule regardless of when it was enacted.
To date, the House has disapproved a number of Biden-era federal regulations.
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