Legislation to give Congress more control over major federal agency rules is expected to be voted on the House floor this week. 

The REINS Act, sponsored by Florida Republican Rep. Kat Cammack, would require Congressional approval for proposed federal agency rules with an economic impact of $100 million or more. 

What You Need To Know

  • Legislation to give Congress more control over major federal agency rules is expected to be voted on the House floor this week

  •  The REINS Act, sponsored by Florida Republican Rep. Kat Cammack, would require Congressional approval for proposed federal agency rules with an economic impact of $100 million or more

  •  Cammack was one of half of Florida Republicans in the House voting against the Fiscal Responsibility Act, tweeting, "You can cut and cap spending, but if you don't change the way we do business in Washington and rein big government in- nothing will ever change"

  •  The REINS Act is expected to be brought to a vote on the House floor on Thursday

Republicans say it would put power back in the hands of lawmakers.

"The Constitution articulates where the laws are made is here in Congress," said Oklahoma GOP Rep. Tom Cole during a House Rules Committee hearing on Monday. "In recent years, the executive departments and agencies have largely seized the role of legislating by imposing new rules and regulations, which have the force of law at a record rate; it's time to return power to Congress."

But, Democrats argue it would create burdensome hurdles. 

"Federal regulations are an essential part of ensuring that Americans have things like clean air to breathe, and water to drink, safe food to eat, safe airplanes to fly," said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa. 

Cammack introduced the bill in the House in January. It was included in the House's original bill to raise the debt ceiling and cut government spending, known as the Limit, Save, Grow Act but, it was not included in the final compromise bill that President Joe Biden signed into law, the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

The Florida Republican lawmaker voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act, lamenting the lack of inclusion of her measure in the final bill in a Twitter post: "You can cut and cap spending, but if you don't change the way we do business in Washington and rein big government in- nothing will ever change."

But the bill will get another shot at House passage later this week. Before going to the Rules Committee, it cleared the Judiciary Committee last month.

The measure now has more than 180 House Republican co-sponsors, but no Democrats have signed on to support the legislation.

Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has also introduced a companion bill, but it faces tougher odds there with Democrats in control of that chamber. 

The bill is expected to be brought to a vote on the House floor on Thursday.