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 May 16 through May 20, the Federal Register grew by 1,446 pages for a year-to-date total of 31,092 pages.
The Federal Register hit an all-time high of 95,894 pages in 2016.
This week’s Federal Register featured the following 507 documents:
- 411 notices
- Seven presidential documents
- 28 proposed rules
- 61 final rules
Five proposed rules, including an amendment to Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) standards for commercial water heating equipment from the Energy Department, and three final rules, including an increase to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) travel promotion fee from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection 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 77 significant proposed rules, 94 significant final rules, and one significant notice as of May 20.
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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