Overview
Title
An Act To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for en bloc consideration in resolutions of disapproval for midnight rules, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
H. R. 115 is like a rule that helps people say "no" to a bunch of new rules that were made right before the end of a President's time in office, making it quicker and easier for everyone to decide if they like these rules or not.
Summary AI
H. R. 115, known as the "Midnight Rules Relief Act," proposes changes to chapter 8 of title 5 of the United States Code. It allows a single joint resolution of disapproval to cover multiple "midnight rules," which are regulations submitted during the last year of a President's term. The bill makes it possible for Congress to disapprove of these late-term rules more efficiently by considering them together rather than individually.
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AnalysisAI
The Midnight Rules Relief Act, also known as H.R. 115, is a legislative proposal aimed at modifying the process by which Congress can disapprove of certain administrative rules. Specifically, it targets "midnight rules," which are regulations issued by an outgoing presidential administration during its final year. This bill aims to streamline how Congress reviews and possibly rejects these rules by allowing them to be bundled into a single joint resolution of disapproval.
General Summary
The core change proposed by the bill is to amend the United States Code to permit en bloc consideration of multiple rules. This means Congress could evaluate and reject several regulations at once, rather than having to address each rule individually. The bill seeks to amend Sections 801 and 802 of Title 5, U.S. Code, establishing a framework for these joint resolutions, ensuring that any disapproved rules carry no legal effect.
Significant Issues
The bill raises several important issues. First, while the ability to handle multiple rules in one resolution could speed up the legislative process, it may also reduce the depth of scrutiny that each individual rule receives. This could lead to broader dismissals without thorough consideration of the potential benefits or consequences of each rule.
Furthermore, the legalistic language used in the bill might be challenging for those unfamiliar with legislative procedures. This complexity could lead to misunderstandings regarding how the bill would be applied or its effects.
Lastly, the bill includes a placeholder format for the listings of disapproved rules. Without specific details, this could cause confusion during implementation, especially if guidelines about how to fill these placeholders are not diligently followed.
Impact on the Public
For the general public, this bill could impact how swiftly and efficiently new rules are either implemented or rejected. On one hand, the bill might facilitate a more seamless legislative process by dealing with numerous rules at once, thus potentially preventing a flurry of last-minute regulations from taking effect that might not align with the new administration's policies or public interests.
Impact on Stakeholders
Specific stakeholders, such as federal agencies, policy advocates, and industries affected by midnight rules, might experience both positive and negative impacts. For federal agencies, the bill might limit the effectiveness of last-minute regulations they issue, seeing them potentially overturned in bulk.
Industries that stand to gain or lose from specific regulations might experience outcomes dependent on the ease with which rules are dismissed under this new process. Policy advocates might worry that beneficial rules providing social or environmental protections could be swept away without adequate consideration.
Overall, while the Midnight Rules Relief Act could streamline congressional procedure, it raises concerns about the level of scrutiny given to each regulation, as well as potential ambiguities in its implementation. It represents a significant shift in how legislative oversight of federal agency rules might be conducted, with far-reaching implications for governance and policy implementation during governmental transitions.
Issues
The provision in Section 2 allows for multiple rules to be disapproved in a single joint resolution. This can increase efficiency but may reduce legislative scrutiny on each individual rule, potentially leading to insufficient evaluation and consideration of each rule's impact.
The legalistic language used in Section 2 might be complex for those unfamiliar with legislative procedures, potentially leading to misunderstandings about the implementation and effects of the bill.
The placeholder format in Section 2 ('the rule submitted by the __ relating to __') can create ambiguity if specific details and proper alignment are not provided, which may result in confusion during the implementation phase.
There is no indication of direct spending or financial implications mentioned in Section 2 of the bill, which might be significant in assessing the overall impact of the legislation.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The first section of this act gives it the official name “Midnight Rules Relief Act.”
2. En bloc consideration of resolutions of disapproval pertaining to midnight rules Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section changes existing U.S. law to allow Congress to disapprove multiple rules proposed during the last year of a President's term using a single joint resolution. It specifies how these resolutions should be worded to express such disapproval and ensure the rules have no effect.