Agency Accountability and Cost Transparency Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1963 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1963

 To require the heads of agencies identify whether major rules of the 
           agency are budget neutral, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 2025

Ms. Van Duyne introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To require the heads of agencies identify whether major rules of the 
           agency are budget neutral, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Agency Accountability and Cost 
Transparency Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. REQUIREMENT TO IDENTIFY WHETHER MAJOR RULES ARE BUDGET NEUTRAL.

    (a) In General.--The head of each agency shall--
            (1) before promulgating a major rule--
                    (A) estimate the cost of the rule;
                    (B) identify whether any rule of the agency may be 
                repealed to offset the cost of the major rule; and
                    (C) repeal any rule identified under subparagraph 
                (B); and
            (2) include a statement along with each major rule 
        published in the Federal Register that identifies whether the 
        rule is budget neutral.
    (b) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Agency.--The terms ``agency'' has the meaning given 
        that term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Budget neutral.--The term ``budget neutral'' means that 
        the cost of the rule is equal to the total amount of costs to 
        the public eliminated as a result of the repeal of any rule 
        identified under paragraph (1)(B).
            (3) Cost of the rule.--The term ``cost of the rule'' means 
        the cost to the public of the rule, including any cost incurred 
        to understand or implement the rule.
            (4) Major rule.--The term ``major rule'' means any rule, 
        including an interim final rule, that the Administrator of the 
        Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of the Office of 
        Management and Budget or the Federal agency promulgating such 
        rule finds has resulted in or is likely to result in--
                    (A) an annual effect on the economy of $100 million 
                or more;
                    (B) a major increase in costs or prices for 
                consumers, individual industries, Federal, State, or 
                local government agencies, or geographic regions; or
                    (C) significant adverse effects on competition, 
                employment, investment, productivity, innovation, or 
                the ability of United States-based enterprises to 
                compete with foreign-based enterprises in domestic and 
                export markets.
            (5) Rule.--The term ``rule'' has the meaning given such 
        term in section 551, except that such term--
                    (A) includes interpretative rules, general 
                statements of policy, and all other agency guidance 
                documents; and
                    (B) does not include--
                            (i) any rule of particular applicability, 
                        including a rule that approves or prescribes 
                        for the future rates, wages, prices, services, 
                        or allowances therefore, corporate or financial 
                        structures, reorganizations, mergers, or 
                        acquisitions thereof, or accounting practices 
                        or disclosures bearing on any of the foregoing;
                            (ii) any rule relating to agency management 
                        or personnel; or
                            (iii) any rule of agency organization, 
                        procedure, or practice that does not 
                        substantially affect the rights or obligations 
                        of non-agency parties.
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