Committee backs tech-driven regulatory review bill, advancing OIRA guidance on machine-readable rules

The Oversight and Reform Committee voted to report HR 67, the Modernizing Retrospective Regulatory Review Act, which would require the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) to issue guidance on using technology for retrospective review of regulations and to report on making regulations machine-readable.

Representative Andy Biggs, sponsor of the bill, said it would employ modern tools such as artificial intelligence to help agencies identify obsolete or conflicting rules faster and to publish regulations in machine-readable formats. He placed in the record a letter from the Administrative Conference of the United States in support of the bill.

Ranking Member Lynch voiced concerns that the bill imposes onerous new requirements on agencies, including mandated plans and review timelines, and could give agency heads open-ended authority to review rules beyond statutory requirements. He said the bill risks diverting resources from rulewriting to retrospective review and cautioned about unintended consequences. The ranking member submitted a Coalition for Sensible Safeguards letter for the record.

The committee adopted the substitute amendment and ordered HR 67 favorably reported. The clerk reported the recorded vote: ayes 24, nays 18. Committee statements emphasized that the bill builds on existing retrospective-review requirements and aligns with ACUS recommendations, while critics warned of operational burdens and potential misuse of guidance.