The BLOCK Act (Bureaucratic Limitation and Overreach Control Act) establishes a new congressional review process for federal agency rules designed to give lawmakers more control over regulations. Under the bill, major rules costing $50 million or more annually cannot take effect without explicit congressional approval through a joint resolution within 30 days, while less expensive rules take effect but Congress can disapprove them within 60 days. Agencies must submit detailed cost-benefit analyses and impact assessments to Congress before rules are finalized, with the Comptroller General determining whether rules qualify as major or nonmajor. The bill also requires federal agencies to review at least 20 percent of existing eligible rules annually, with all previously unreviewed rules automatically expiring after 5 years unless Congress approves them through a streamlined process with limited debate and no amendments allowed. The procedural rules set strict timelines for congressional voting in both chambers, significantly increasing congressional oversight of the federal regulatory process.
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