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, accounting for both regulatory and deregulatory actions.
From March 14 through March 18, the Federal Register grew by 1,696 pages for a year-to-date total of 15,838 pages.
The Federal Register hit an all-time high of 95,894 pages in 2016.
This week’s Federal Register featured the following 519 documents:
- 413 notices
- Seven presidential documents
- 30 proposed rules
- 69 final rules
Two proposed rules, including an amendment to regulations for federal construction projects issued under the Davis-Bacon and Related Acts from the Labor Department, and five final rules, including updates to references to Commission offices, technology, and marine terminal operator (MTO) schedule filing requirements from the Federal Maritime Commission were deemed significant under E.O. 12866—defined by the potential to 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. The Biden administration has issued 38 significant proposed rules, 51 significant final rules, and zero significant notices as of March 18.
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.
Additional reading: