ABC sent letters to members of congress last week urging them to pass legislation that would bring much-needed regulatory relief to contractors. The ABC supported legislation included Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2017 (HR 26) and the Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017 (HR 21), both of which passed the U.S. the week of Jan. 2. Additionally, the House of Representatives Regulatory Accountability Act of 2017 (HR 5) passed the House on Jan. 11. 

The REINS Act of 2017 was sponsored by Rep. Rep. Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and passed the House by a vote of 237-187. In its letter of support of the bill, ABC said, “H.R. 26, Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2017, will help to bring greater accountability to the rulemaking process as it would require any executive branch rule or regulation with an annual economic impact of $100 million or more to come before Congress for an up-or-down vote before being enacted.”

The Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017 was sponsored by Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) and passed the House by a vote of 238–184. In its letter of support of the bill, ABC said, “The Obama administration issued numerous rulemakings that detrimentally impact the construction industry. In some cases, these regulations are based on conjecture and speculation, lacking foundation in sound scientific analysis. H.R. 21, Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2017, will enhance congressional oversight of the overreaching regulations often issued during the final months of a president’s term and help to revive the division of powers.”

The Regulatory Accountability Act of 2017 was introduced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) on Jan. 3 and passed the House by a vote of 238-183. In its letter of support of the bill, ABC said, “ABC strongly supports comprehensive regulatory reform which includes across-the-board requirements for departments and agencies to appropriately evaluate risks, weigh costs, and assess benefits of all regulations. H.R. 5, Regulatory Accountability Act of 2017, is an excellent step in regulatory reform as it ensures more accountability from federal agencies and greater stakeholder transparency."