The Congressional Review Act of 1996 (CRA) is Congress’s most recent effort to trim the excesses of the modern administrative state.  The act requires the Executive Branch to report every “rule” to the Senate and House of Representatives so that each chamber can schedule an up-or-down vote on the rule under the statute’s fast-track procedure.  The reach of the CRA is quite broad, essentially covering any legal document an agency could use to strong-arm a regulated party into complying with the agency’s wishes.  Through the CRA, Congress, therefore, may have the ability today to reach back and nullify a large number of existing rules. 

Join us for our program featuring one of the key architects involved with the drafting and passage of this bill, a former congressman who sponsored the legislation, and a Heritage legal expert as they discuss what has been termed a possible “regulatory game changer.”