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The Supreme Court recently overturned the 1984 ruling in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council, which had allowed federal agencies to interpret laws not explicitly addressed by Congress. The decision is one of the most crucial checks on the power of the executive branch and unelected bureaucrats that the U.S. has seen in decades and marks a significant victory for the country and “the little guy”.
Chevron deference, as the decision became known following the 1984 ruling, granted unprecedented power to bureaucratic agencies. The notion that federal agencies led by partisan and presidential appointees are considered better equipped to interpret laws than Congress and the courts is absurd and without merit.
In recent years, political appointees have progressively advanced presidential political agendas rather than prioritizing the needs of the nation. This trend is evident in the radical decisions made by Joe Biden's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) since 2021. From undermining American energy production by banning LNG exports, expanding WOTUS to include non-navigable and temporary “waterways” to advocating for the prohibition of gas-powered vehicles through a tailpipe emissions rule, these policies cater to an activist base and disregard the true environmental and economic needs of our country.
Another example is the EPA’s rule regarding ethylene oxide for medical sterilization without an alternative method and the Ozone Transport Rule. In March 2023, the EPA issued a rule imposing stringent nitrogen oxide emission reductions on power plants across 22 states to address ozone pollution under the Clean Air Act's "good neighbor" obligations. This rule threatened to prematurely shut down coal plants and burden power cooperatives with costly NOx control installations, which would raise electricity costs and undermine reliability. Courts have intervened due to legal concerns, granting temporary relief from compliance to affected states.
As Chair of the Conservative Climate Caucus, I understand how important it is that we reduce emissions. I also know it’s just as important that we have a strong economy that provides the American people with the affordable, reliable energy they need to survive, and I hear that from my constituents every day.
The American people elect Members of Congress to create laws, and Congress expects the courts to interpret those laws. For far too long, bureaucrats in federal agencies have been flip-flopping regulations and overruling states since 1984, with the American people suffering because of it.
The ruling will improve transparency and accountability within regulatory processes, ensuring that regulations align more closely with the original legislative intent of Congress. By ending the practice of judicial deference to federal agency interpretations of vague laws, the Supreme Court reaffirms that elected lawmakers in Congress should have primary authority in shaping public policy.
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