Chavez-DeRemer votes to ‘restore federal checks and balances, separation of powers’

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) voted in favor of the REINS Act and the Separation of Powers Restoration Act, which both passed the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

She said the two bills seek to restore checks and balances and separation of powers – two critical principles that ensure the federal government remains fair and accountable to the American people.

Chavez-DeRemer became an original cosponsor of the REINS Act when it was first introduced in January.

“Washington’s ballooning regulatory environment is crushing Oregon businesses and farms," Chavez-DeRemer said. "The REINS Act will prevent overreach by unelected federal bureaucrats by requiring congressional approval of any new and major regulations. "Additionally, the Separation of Powers Act would prevent the executive branch from straying too far from congressional intent.

"Oregonians sent me to Congress to hold the Biden administration accountable and push back against federal overreach when necessary, and that’s why I was proud to support these two bills, which will put power back in the hands of the people through their elected representatives,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

The REINS Act would define a "major rule" as any federal rule or regulation that may result in: 

• An annual effect on the economy of $100 million or more; 
• A major increase in costs or prices for consumers, individual industries, government industries, government agencies, or geographic regions; or
• Significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or the ability of U.S.-based enterprises to compete with foreign-based enterprises.

Separately, the Separation of Powers Restoration Act relates to a 1984 case, Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. In this case, the Supreme Court ruled that courts should defer to a federal agency’s interpretation if it is not unreasonable when reviewing an ambiguous statute. The bill would eliminate this “Chevron deference” by amending the scope of judicial review on agency actions. Specifically, it would allow judges to consider the issues before them on the merits, therefore preventing unelected bureaucrats from determining congressional intent.