Columbia News

Senator Eric Schmitt has outlined his legislative priorities and strategy for Congressional oversight of federal agencies in a series of posts on August 7, 2025. Schmitt emphasized the need for Congress to curtail funding to the federal bureaucracy and leverage its authority under the Congressional Review Act.

In his first post, Schmitt stated, "Congress must cut funding to the federal bureaucracy—and utilize the Congressional Review Act to remove as many harmful Biden regulations as possible. If we don’t fund it, they can’t enforce it. That’s our leverage. Let’s use it." [Posted on August 7, 2025]

He further discussed his role in regulatory reform efforts during the previous legislative session: "Last Congress, I served as Chair of the Post-Chevron Working Group. Now, I have authored the first comprehensive post-Chevron strategy—a roadmap for Congress to retake the lawmaking power it previously gave away to unelected bureaucrats. Here are the key legislative takeaways:" [Posted on August 7, 2025]

Schmitt concluded with an overview of proposed changes in bill drafting practices: "That has to change. So we built a comprehensive guide for lawmakers to write bills that don’t give bureaucrats loopholes to seize power. Tight definitions. Clear limits. No more vague “weasel words.”" [Posted on August 7, 2025]

The reference to "Post-Chevron" pertains to legal and legislative responses following recent Supreme Court decisions that limit judicial deference to administrative agencies’ interpretations of ambiguous statutes—a significant shift in administrative law known as overturning or narrowing Chevron deference.

Schmitt is a U.S. Senator from Missouri who has been active in efforts related to government oversight and regulatory reform during both current and previous sessions of Congress.