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

Advocacy
Aug 07, 2026
NAHB’s Monthly Update Features Tariff and Economic Updates

Stay informed on the issues shaping the residential construction industry by reviewing the monthly update talking points. The latest edition features messages related to tariffs and the economy.

Environmental Issues | Advocacy
Aug 06, 2026
Proposed Construction Stormwater Permit Aims to Provide Greater Clarity, Flexibility

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed a new Construction General Permit (CGP) that would replace the current federal permit when it expires in February 2027. Comments are due Sept. 2, and the EPA will hold a webinar Aug. 18 to review the proposed changes.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics
Aug 07, 2026
U.S. Labor Market Softens in July

The U.S. labor market weakened in July, with nonfarm payrolls down 23,000 and downward revisions cutting another 103,000 jobs from May and June.

Economics
Aug 06, 2026
Multifamily Developer Confidence Weakens in Second Quarter

Confidence in the market for new multifamily housing weakened year-over-year in the second quarter, according to the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MMS produces two separate indices.

Economics
Aug 06, 2026
Mortgage Rates Climb Again as Iran Conflict Re-escalates

Re-escalation of the conflict in Iran pushed mortgage rates higher in July. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.54% in July, up 5 basis points (bps) over June. Since the conflict in the Middle East began, the 30-year mortgage rate has climbed by almost 50 bps.