Chaos on the Public Lands?

Chaos on the Public Lands?

The Congressional Review Act (CRA) creates a streamlined process by which Congress can disapprove rules issued by federal agencies – it is one of the few legislative actions that are exempt from the filibuster in Congress, along with reconciliation legislation.  This Congress has been aggressive in using the CRA, perhaps because polarization in Congress has made any high-profile legislation impossible as the minority party regularly resorts to t…

The Weaponization of the Congressional Review Act in 2025

In 2025, a little-known law played an unprecedently large role. The Congressional Review Act (CRA) grants the U.S. Congress an effective opportunity to disapprove agencies’ recent regulations during a limited time-window. Our empirical analysis of all CRA resolutions signed into law in 2025 shows how congressional Republicans pushed an expansive interpretation of the CRA’s scope that significantly undermines the limitations that the text of the …