Senator James Lankford (R-OK) today issued a statement following the Supreme Court decision in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless v. Department of Commerce, which overruled its 1984 decision in Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council. The Court’s ruling voids precedent that the courts will defer to federal agencies to interpret the law if a statue is unclear. Lankford has long been critical of the use of Chevron deference and the power it has given federal agencies.
“For far too long the courts have given federal agencies too much power in what’s been affectionally referred to as ‘Chevron deference.’ Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court overturned a longtime precedent that gave federal bureaucrats power and has tipped the scales of power back to the American people through their elected representatives. This will stop any Administration from using overreaching rules and regulations to harm businesses, and ultimately harm consumers. It is important that Congress corrects any imbalance in federal laws by passing legislation that ensures the legislative branch makes laws, not federal agencies.”
