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 27, 2023, through March 31, 2023, the Federal Register grew by 1,560 pages for a year-to-date total of 19,546 pages.
The Federal Register hit an all-time high of 95,894 pages in 2016.
This week’s Federal Register featured the following 575 documents:
- 447 notices
- 10 presidential documents
- 43 proposed rules
- 75 final rules
Six proposed rules, including proposed amendments to regulations regarding the importation of fresh beef from Paraguay from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and five final rules, including the adoption of adjustments to the Schedule of Fees for Consular Services for nonimmigrant visa applications from the State Department 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 in 2023 has issued 104 significant proposed rules, 65 significant final rules, and four significant notices as of March 31.
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: