Federal Register

“Agency Rescissions of Legislative Rules,” CRS Report R46673

Federal administrative agencies carry out their statutorily prescribed responsibilities in many ways. Perhaps most significantly, agencies may, pursuant to congressionally delegated authority, promulgate rules with the force of law, commonly known as “regulations,” “substantive rules,” or “legislative rules.” The Administrative Procedure Act (APA) establishes the procedural framework with which agencies generally must comply when issuing … Read more

The Congressional Review Act (CRA) (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms   Congressional Review Act: A new idea to eliminate Obama’s agency regulations   The Congressional Review Act (CRA) is an oversight tool that Congress may use to overturn a rule issued by a federal agency, in some cases, rules issued in a previous session of … Read more

Executive Order (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Executive Order   Obama signs Executive Order NDRP Martial Law – Hannity Full News Clip Fox News (Mar 19, 2012)   Executive orders are unilateral orders issued by the president, without congressional approval. They are official documents, numbered consecutively, through which the president manages the … Read more

Executive Branch (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Executive Branch   EXECUTIVE BRANCH – Cram for the Exam   The president is the head of the executive branch of the government, which includes many departments and agencies. The power of the Executive Branch is vested in the President of the United States, who … Read more

Amending the Constitution (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Amending the Constitution     How to Amend the U.S. Constitution     One of the ways in which federalism is most clearly expressed in the Constitution is in the process for its amendment. Nine of the thirteen original states were required to ratify the … Read more

Federal Register / Rulemaking / Unified Agenda (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Federal Register / Rulemaking / Unified Agenda In the course of its lawmaking, Congress often delegates quasi-legislative authority to executive departments and agencies so that they might effectively implement laws and carry out the broader policy determinations that Congress itself made. Departments and agencies engage … Read more

Code of Federal Regulations / CFR (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Code of Federal Regulations / CFR The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the executive departments and agencies of the federal government. It is divided into fifty titles that represent broad … Read more

Rules (CongressionalGlossary.com)

From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Rules The term “rules” has two specific congressional meanings. A rule may be a standing order governing the conduct of House or Senate business that is listed among the permanent rules of either chamber. The rules deal with duties of officers, the order of business, … Read more

Getting Involved in the Regulatory Process

While there is often a lot of debate and controversy leading up to the passage of a piece of legislation, that is only the beginning. The federal government must then implement the legislation once it becomes law. The process that handles the implementation of law is known as the regulatory process, which involves a variety … Read more