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 December 16 to December 20, the Federal Register increased by 2,068 pages, bringing the year-to-date total to 70,392 pages. The week’s Federal Register featured a total of 578 documents, including 447 notices, four presidential documents, 64 proposed rules, and 63 final rules.

Two proposed rules were deemed significant under E.O. 12866—meaning that they could have large impacts 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 1,644 pages for a year-to-date total of 66,076 pages. As of December 20, the 2019 total led the 2018 total by 4,316 pages.

The Trump administration has added an average of 1,380 pages to the Federal Register each week in 2019 as of December 20. Over the course of 2018, the Trump administration added an average of 1,301 pages to the Federal Register each week. During 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 more information about weekly additions to the Federal Register in 2018 and 2017.

Additional reading:
Click here to find yearly information about additions to the Federal Register from 1936 to 2016.