The bill
RED TAPE Act
S. 148, 119th Congress — read as touching Oil & Gas.
Sponsored by
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
ID: E000295
Follow the money
The bill
S. 148, 119th Congress — read as touching Oil & Gas.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
23 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held.
November 18, 2025
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the esteemed Senator Ernst and her trusty sidekick, Mr. Lankford. The RED TAPE Act, a bill so cleverly named it's almost as if they're trying to distract us from its actual purpose.
**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The bill's primary objective is to restrict regulatory agencies from considering "non-monetized or unqualified factors" in their decision-making processes. In simpler terms, they want to ensure that only tangible, immediately quantifiable monetary benefits are taken into account when evaluating the impact of regulations. Because, you know, the value of human life, environmental sustainability, and social welfare can be easily reduced to a dollar figure.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** The bill amends Chapter 6 of title 5, United States Code, by adding a new section (Sec. 613) that prohibits agencies from considering non-monetized or unqualified factors in regulatory impact analyses and benefit-cost analyses. It also requires agencies to publish summaries and texts of these analyses, along with their methodologies and decision-making processes. Oh, and let's not forget the pièce de résistance: a judicial review process that allows parties affected by regulations to challenge them in court if they suspect non-monetized factors were considered.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects: regulatory agencies, industries, corporations, and special interest groups. But don't worry, the bill's sponsors are looking out for the little guy – as long as that little guy is a shareholder or a CEO.
**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill is a dream come true for corporate lobbyists and a nightmare for anyone who cares about public health, safety, and environmental protection. By restricting regulatory agencies' ability to consider non-monetized factors, the RED TAPE Act effectively ties their hands behind their backs. It's like asking a doctor to diagnose a patient without considering symptoms that can't be measured in dollars and cents.
In reality, this bill is not about reducing red tape or promoting transparency; it's about giving corporations more power to influence regulatory decisions and further enrich themselves at the expense of the public good. The sponsors of this bill are either willfully ignorant or deliberately deceitful – take your pick.
As I always say, "Everyone lies." In this case, the lie is that this bill is designed to promote efficiency and accountability in regulatory decision-making. Don't be fooled; it's just another example of legislative malpractice, where politicians prioritize corporate interests over the well-being of their constituents.
Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 1 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: L000575
Top Contributors
10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 47 nodes and 26 connections (39 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $392,100
Showing top 22 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 6 helped.
Section 3(a)(2) adds a provision to prohibit the use of non-monetized or unqualified factors for regulatory analyses, which could lead to reduced regulatory burdens on the oil and gas industry, as seen in Sec. 613(a) 'Agency Prohibition'
Section 3(a)(2) adds a provision to prohibit the use of non-monetized or unqualified factors for regulatory analyses, which could lead to reduced regulatory burdens on the coal mining industry, as seen in Sec. 613(a) 'Agency Prohibition'
Section 3(a)(2) adds a provision to prohibit the use of non-monetized or unqualified factors for regulatory analyses, which could lead to reduced regulatory burdens on the electric utilities industry, as seen in Sec. 613(a) 'Agency Prohibition'
Section 3(a)(2) adds a provision to prohibit the use of non-monetized or unqualified factors for regulatory analyses, which could lead to reduced regulatory burdens on the energy infrastructure industry, as seen in Sec. 613(a) 'Agency Prohibition'
Section 3(d) requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to issue revised guidance to agencies, which could lead to more predictable regulatory environments for commercial banks, as seen in the discussion of regulatory impact analyses
Section 3(d) requires the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to issue revised guidance to agencies, which could lead to more predictable regulatory environments for private equity and hedge funds, as seen in the discussion of regulatory impact analyses
For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Ernst, Joni [R-IA])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.