The Federal Register is a daily journal of federal government activity that includes presidential documents, proposed and final rules, and public notices. It is a common measure of an administration’s regulatory activity.
During the week of May 13 to May 17, the number of pages in the Federal Register increased by 1,928 pages, bringing the year-to-date total to 22,692 pages. This week’s Federal Register featured a total of 612 documents, including 494 notices, 11 presidential documents, 52 proposed rules, and 55 final rules.
Three proposed rules and one final rule were deemed significant under E.O. 12866—meaning that they may have a large impact on the economy, environment, public health, or state or local governments. Significant actions may also conflict with presidential priorities or other agency rules.
During the same week in 2018, the number of pages in the Federal Register increased by 1,172 pages. As of May 17, the 2019 total trailed the 2018 total by 656 pages.
The Trump administration has added an average of 1,135 pages to the Federal Register each week in 2019 as of May 17. In 2018, the Trump administration added an average of 1,301 pages to the Federal Register each week. Over the course of the Obama administration, the Federal Register increased by an average of 1,658 pages per week.
According to government data, the Federal Register hit an all-time high of 95,894 pages in 2016.
Ballotpedia maintains page counts and other information about the Federal Register as part of its Administrative State Project. The project is a neutral, nonpartisan encyclopedic resource that defines and analyzes the administrative state, including its philosophical origins, legal and judicial precedents, and scholarly examinations of its consequences. The project also monitors and reports on measures of federal government activity.
Click here to find yearly information about additions to the Federal Register from 1936 to 2016: https://ballotpedia.org/Historical_additions_to_the_Federal_Register,_1936-2016