Washington, D.C. – In an effort to decrease thousands of pages of federal regulations, U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, both R-Wyo., are co-sponsoring a bill designed to help Americans and businesses by simplifying and decreasing federal regulations.

“There is a sign on the side of a building in Wyoming that says, ‘As regulations grow, freedoms die.’ It is easy to slap a rule on the books when Congress looks the other way. Congress isn’t looking away anymore,” Enzi said.

“The Administration has a history of using back door regulations to enact policies it can’t pass through legislation.  This gives unelected bureaucrats unchecked power to make policy without the consent of Congress or the American people.  The REINS Act will restore accountability and transparency and serve as a check on this Administration’s anti-jobs agenda,” Barrasso said.

Enzi and Barrasso are co-sponsors of the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2011. The REINS Act would require Congress to approve every new major rule proposed by the Executive Branch before it can be implemented and enforced. Once the Executive Branch drafts major rules they must be approved by both bodies of Congress and signed by the President. A major rule is any rule that the Office of Management and Budget finds may result in an annual impact of $100 million or more; a major increase in costs for consumers; or significant adverse effects on the economy. 

The bill has 24 co-sponsors and was introduced by Senator Rand Paul, R-Ky., on Feb. 7.