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 February 18 to February 22, the number of pages in the Federal Register increased by 1,274 pages, bringing the year-to-date total to 5,950 pages. A total of 540 documents were included in the week’s Federal Register, including 456 notices, three presidential documents, 31 proposed rules, and 50 final rules.

 

Three final rules were deemed significant under E.O. 12866—meaning that they may 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 1,058 pages. As of February 22, the 2019 total trailed the 2018 total by 2,214 pages.

 

The Trump administration has added an average of 744 pages to the Federal Register each week in 2019 as of February 22. 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.