House Approves REINS Act to Limit Executive Overreach

Regulations
Published
Contact: Alex Strong
[email protected]
Senior Director, Federal Legislative
(202) 266-8279

In an important victory for NAHB and common-sense regulatory reform, the House today approved the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act of 2023.

This legislation would restore meaningful congressional oversight to regulatory rulemaking by requiring Congress to approve all federal agency regulations that have an annual economic impact of $100 million or more.

Prior to the House vote, NAHB sent a letter to House lawmakers urging support for this bill and deemed it a “key vote” because of its importance to the housing industry.

Without meaningful congressional oversight, poorly crafted rules often go into place and businesses are forced to divert precious resources to lengthy and uncertain legal challenges.

Under the REINS Act, if a federal agency proposes a major regulation, it would need to be approved by both the House and Senate before going into effect.

The bill would also grant Congress the authority to disapprove a “non-major rule” (defined as a regulation that would result in an annual effect on the economy of less than $100 million) through a joint resolution.

NAHB believes that placing more decision-making in the hands of Congress on major regulatory rules that impact millions of Americans and countless small businesses will reduce regulatory overreach by federal agencies. We will urge the Senate to introduce and advance companion legislation.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Leading Suppliers Council
Sep 23, 2026
Discover What’s Next for Smart Homes and Attainable Housing

The smart home is entering a new era and builders have an opportunity to get ahead of what home owners will expect next. Join the NAHB Leading Suppliers Council for a free, two-part webinar on Monday, Sept. 28, to get a closer look at the technologies shaping the future of housing.

Membership | IBS | Advocacy
Sep 23, 2026
Chairman's Update: Top Events for Housing

2026 NAHB Chairman Bill Owens provides updates on key events for the residential construction industry, including why members should get out to vote this November and why now is a great time to register for the International Builders' Show.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics
Sep 24, 2026
Single-Family Detached Homes Still Dominate Among the 55+ Population

Adults ages 55 and older make up a large and growing share of the U.S. population and play an important role in the U.S. housing market. In 2024, around 103 million Americans were ages 55 or older, ranging from adults still in the labor force to retirees.

Economics
Sep 23, 2026
Number of Bathrooms in New Single-Family Homes in 2025

Single-family homes started construction in 2025 typically had two full bathrooms, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Construction.

Economics
Sep 23, 2026
Q2 2026 Remodeling Market Update: Labor and Nonlabor Input Costs

The remodeling industry is taking on a larger role within the residential construction sector. Structural tailwinds, such as an aging housing stock, the growing trend of aging-in-place among older home owners, and record-high housing wealth, will continue to grow remodeling’s market share further.