Why Reauthorize Presidential Reorganization Authority?

 My VIPs for this week are Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Kentucky) for their efforts to support President Donald Trump to cut the size and cost of the federal government.

According to Cani Mondeaux, Lee introduced on Thursday a bill in the Senate that “would reauthorize presidential reorganization authority until the end of 2026.” This bill “would allow Trump to decrease the size of the federal government and eliminate programs he deems wasteful or unnecessary.” Mondeaux continued, “The bill would extend reorganization authority to Trump, greenlighting a little-used statute that allows the president to temporarily adjust the federal government if approved by Congress.” 

“Congress cannot afford to sit on its hands in this fight,” Lee said in a statement. “Reauthorizing presidential reorganization authority is the most comprehensive tool that the president can use to restore good governance to Washington.”

Under the Reorganizing Government Act, Congress must pass a joint resolution of approval within 90 days of submission. By doing that, the Senate can approve Trump’s plans to reform the structure of the federal government without being filibustered by Democrats.

Instead, it would only need majority support in both chambers.

Under the bill, Trump would have the authority to reduce the federal workforce, deregulate and eliminate special interests, make department-level changes, request the elimination of statutory programs, but could not use the bill to increase the budget or add federal employees.

The same bill is set to be introduced in the House by Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer.

“The federal bureaucracy has grown dramatically in size and scope, creating unnecessary red tape. We must cut through the inefficiency and streamline government to improve service delivery and save taxpayers money,” said Comer, R-Ky. “We owe it to the American people to make government efficient, effective, and accountable.” …

Although the act of creating or abolishing federal agencies is typically a power held by Congress, presidential reorganization authority has been granted to nine presidents on 16 separate occasions throughout history. The last time it was approved was in 1984 for then-President Ronald Reagan.

George W. Bush requested the authority in 2002 but such a package was not approved by Congress. Similarly, Barack Obama sought reorganization authority during his term to restructure the Department of Commerce and other agencies. Authority was not granted.