Biden breaks Obama record for filling Federal Register with most regulations

President Biden’s administration has set a new record for the most pages of regulations filled in the Federal Register, surpassing the previous record set by President Obama. As of December 3, the administration had filled 96,088 pages, putting them on track to exceed 100,000 pages by the end of their term. This milestone highlights the expanding scope of federal intervention under the Biden administration.

The Federal Register, overseen by the Office of the Federal Register and published by the National Archives and Records Administration, is a daily publication of new and amended federal regulations. While page counts are not a perfect measure of regulatory burden, the record-setting number of pages filled by the Biden administration underscores the significant role of the regulatory state in governing the country.

In contrast, during President Trump’s first term, efforts were made to reduce regulatory burden through Executive Order 13771, which required agencies to eliminate two regulations for every new one added. This resulted in net cost savings and a decrease in the number of pages added to the Federal Register. Trump has indicated plans to further deregulate in his second term, pledging to eliminate 10 regulations for every new one introduced.

Construction trade group leaders are looking forward to new leadership under the Trump administration, hopeful for relief from burdensome regulations that hinder economic growth. The American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce’s Center for Legal Action director, Machalagh Carr, expressed optimism for a new era of deregulation under Trump’s leadership.

Overall, the contrast between the regulatory approaches of the Biden and Trump administrations highlights the ongoing debate over the role of government regulation in shaping the economy. While Biden’s administration has prioritized expanding federal intervention through regulatory measures, Trump’s administration focused on reducing regulatory burden to promote economic growth and innovation.

As we look ahead to the future, the regulatory landscape will continue to evolve, influenced by changing administrations and shifting priorities. The balance between regulation and economic freedom will remain a key point of contention in political and policy debates.