S. 148 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Jan 17, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRequires dollar amounts for all regulatory analysis
When federal agencies write new rules, they have to explain the costs and benefits in money terms. This bill says agencies can't use factors they haven't put a price tag on when they decide whether a rule is good or bad. They also have to publish these analyses so the public can see them. If a court finds that an agency broke this rule, the court can throw out that regulation.
How it affects you
This affects anyone who deals with federal regulations, from small business owners to everyday people. The changes could make it harder for agencies to account for things like health improvements, environmental protection, or worker safety if those benefits are difficult to measure in dollars. The bill's supporters say it brings transparency to rule-making; others worry it limits how agencies can consider important impacts that don't have an obvious price tag.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Jan 17, 2025)
Regulations Evaluated to Determine The Anticipated Price and Effect Act or the RED TAPE Act
This bill prohibits federal agencies from considering any nonmonetized or unquantified factor when conducting a regulatory impact analysis or benefit-cost analysis for any proposed rule, final rule, or interim final rule.
Each agency must publish each regulatory impact analysis and benefit-cost analysis conducted by the agency with respect to a proposed rule, final rule, or interim final rule.
Additionally, the Office of Management and Budget may not (1) authorize or endorse an agency's use of any nonmonetized or unquantified factor when conducting a regulatory impact analysis or benefit-cost analysis on any proposed rule, final rule, or interim final rule; or (2) consider any nonmonetized or unquantified factor presented in a regulatory impact analysis or benefit-cost analysis of another agency.
The bill provides for judicial review of a rule issued by an agency that considered a nonmonetized or unquantified factor when conducting a regulatory impact or benefit-cost analysis. If a court finds that an agency relied upon such a factor to evaluate a final rule or interim final rule, the court must declare the rule invalid.
The bill takes effect 30 days after enactment.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 148
A BILL
RED TAPE Act
Sponsor: Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) · Introduced Jan 17, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Nov 19, 2025: “Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.”