Pandemic Regulatory Cost Relief Act of 2020

I 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. R. 7922 To minimize increases in the cost of complying with Federal rules during the coronavirus pandemic, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AUGUST 4, 2020 Mr. COMER (for himself, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. ARMSTRONG, Mr. CLOUD, Ms. FOXX of North Carolina, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. GREEN of Ten- nessee, and Mr. KELLER) introduced the following bill; which was re- ferred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned A BILL To minimize increases in the cost of complying with Federal rules during the coronavirus pandemic, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Pandemic Regulatory 4 Cost Relief Act of 2020’’. 5 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Aug 21, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7922.IH H7922 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 7922 IH SEC. 2. PROHIBITION AGAINST INCREASING REGULATORY 1 COMPLIANCE COSTS DURING CORONAVIRUS 2 PANDEMIC. 3 (a) IN GENERAL.—A Federal rule for which an agen- 4 cy has estimated the costs of compliance may not be pro- 5 mulgated during the covered period if such rule increases 6 the total Federal regulatory compliance costs for the class 7 of entities to be subject to the rule, unless— 8 (1) such increase is offset by a corresponding 9 rescission of rules that reduces the total Federal reg- 10 ulatory compliance cost for that class of entities by 11 an equal or greater amount; or 12 (2) the Director of the Office of Management 13 and Budget— 14 (A) determines— 15 (i) that no such corresponding rescis- 16 sion of rules is available to be made; or 17 (ii) the rule is necessary for the pro- 18 tection of— 19 (I) public health against the 20 coronavirus pandemic; or 21 (II) national security; and 22 (B) publishes a notice to that effect in the 23 Federal Register at the time the rule is promul- 24 gated. 25 (b) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 26 VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Aug 21, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H7922.IH H7922 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 7922 IH (1) CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC.—The term 1 ‘‘coronavirus pandemic’’ means the SARS–CoV–2 2 pandemic of 2019–2020. 3 (2) COVERED PERIOD.—The term ‘‘covered pe- 4 riod’’ means the period that— 5 (A) begins on the date of the enactment of 6 this section; and 7 (B) ends on the date that is 1 year after 8 the date on which the public health emergency 9 declared under section 319 of the Public Health 10 Services Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) as a result of the 11 coronavirus pandemic expires, or any renewal 12 thereof. 13 (3) REGULATORY COMPLIANCE COST.—The 14 term ‘‘regulatory compliance cost’’ means any direct 15 cost, and any reasonably foreseeable indirect cost 16 (including revenue lost), of complying with a Federal 17 rule. 18 (4) RULE.—The term ‘‘rule’’ has the meaning 19 given that term in section 551 of title 5, United 20 States Code. 21 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:54 Aug 21, 2020 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H7922.IH H7922 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS