To provide for certain reforms pertaining to Chevron deference.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · July 2, 2024
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The Returning Power to the People Act of 2024 seeks to limit how much weight federal courts give to federal agencies' interpretations of laws, a legal principle known as Chevron deference. The bill would require agencies to review past decisions where they received deference and publicly reassess their interpretations, while courts would be instructed to develop their own statutory interpretations rather than deferring to agency positions. The legislation also imposes new restrictions on agency rulemaking, including requirements that agencies only issue rules when explicitly authorized by statute, include criminal intent standards in rules tied to criminal penalties, and make all guidance documents publicly accessible before they can be relied upon in agency decisions. Additionally, it would make it easier for people to appeal agency decisions directly to federal district courts and require those appeals to be reviewed without deference to the agency's original decision. The bill also calls for a government study within 180 days to identify past cases involving Chevron deference and assess how private parties were affected by such rulings.
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