Federal Register weekly update: Highest weekly document total so far in 2022


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 April 4 through April 8, the Federal Register grew by 1,634 pages for a year-to-date total of 21,000 pages.

The Federal Register hit an all-time high of 95,894 pages in 2016.

This week’s Federal Register featured the following 627 documents:

  • 502 notices
  • 12 presidential documents
  • 45 proposed rules
  • 68 final rules

Eight proposed rules, including an amendment to the regulations for eligibility for the premium tax credit in section 36B of the Internal Revenue Code from the Internal Revenue Service, four final rules, including an amendment to requirements regarding the origin of livestock for dairy animals under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) organic regulations from the Agricultural Marketing Service, and one notice regarding approval of the rates for inpatient and outpatient medical care for Calendar Year 2022 from the Indian Health Service 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 56 significant proposed rules, 68 significant final rules, and one significant notice as of April 8.

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.

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