As a member of the Senate Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Caucus, our goal is to cut unconstitutional federal rules and make sure any that remain are more efficient, transparent, and responsive to Americans’ needs.
Work to cut unconstitutional federal rules and make sure any that remain are more efficient, transparent, and responsive to Americans’ needs.
Occurrences
Senator Risch introduced the Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act to codify President Trump's executive order and cut bureaucratic red tape obstructing American energy dominance. The act would require the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to sunset existing energy regulations, permit agencies to extend regulations for up to five years only after a thorough review and public comment period, and require future energy regulations to include a five-year sunset.
Evidence
U.S. Senator Jim Risch introduced the Zero-Based Regulations Act to cut red tape and protect taxpayer dollars by requiring annual zero-based reviews of all federal regulations. The act would implement a 'zero-based' standard where repealing regulations is the default, require federal agencies to review 20% of their regulations annually and the entire regulatory structure every five years, and require agencies to justify, simplify, and reduce the cost of any rule by at least 30% to be reauthorized.
Senator Risch introduced the Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act to codify President Trump's executive order and cut bureaucratic red tape obstructing American energy dominance. The act would require the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to sunset existing energy regulations, permit agencies to extend regulations for up to five years only after a thorough review and public comment period, and require future energy regulations to include a five-year sunset.
Senator Risch stated that in 2025, under Republican leadership, they eliminated excessive regulations among other achievements.
Assessments
Senator Risch made legislative attempts by introducing bills aimed at reducing federal regulations and increasing regulatory efficiency and transparency. There is secondary evidence that regulatory reduction was a stated priority and specific legislative proposals were made, but there is no clear evidence these efforts resulted in comprehensive enactment or substantial reversal of federal regulatory structure. As such, only partial fulfillment is supported.
Senator Risch made multiple legislative efforts to cut federal regulations (especially targeting excessive or inefficient rules), including introducing significant bills aimed at regulatory reduction and reform. However, the provided evidence does not confirm that these measures became law or resulted in comprehensive fulfillment of the promise to both cut unconstitutional rules and ensure remaining rules are more efficient, transparent, and responsive. Therefore, the outcome is partial, reflecting serious legislative effort but incomplete delivery on the specific promise.