H.R. 7226 — Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Streamline the Code of Federal Regulations Act of 2026

This section establishes definitions for purposes of the Act, including (1) "agency" and "regulation" (i.e., "rule") as defined in 5 U.S.C. 551; (2) "artificial intelligence system" as a machine-based system that, for an explicit or implicit objective, infers how to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments from the inputs it receives; (3) "redundant" as a regulation that duplicates, overlaps with, or serves the same purpose as another regulation such that its elimination would not result in a loss of essential information or regulatory function; and (4) "outdated" as a regulation superseded by more recent legislation, technological advances, or regulatory developments, rendering it inapplicable or unenforceable.

This section establishes a process, to be implemented by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in consultation with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) not later than 90 days after enactment and annually thereafter, for an artificial intelligence (AI) system meeting NIST standards on accuracy, transparency, accountability, and national security risk to identify redundant or outdated regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). OMB and NIST must review and revise the process and AI system at least once per fiscal year to ensure proper functioning and compliance with standards. Identified regulations must be referred to the promulgating agency, which must determine within 30 days (final determination) whether the regulation is redundant or outdated; publish the determination and explanation on its website (classified annex to Congress permitted); and, within 30 days of such determination, rescind redundant regulations or amend or rescind outdated regulations, notwithstanding Administrative Procedure Act notice-and-comment requirements.

This section adds an exception to the notice-and-comment requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) for a rulemaking that rescinds or amends a regulation determined to be redundant or outdated as part of the annual review of the Code of Federal Regulations under the Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Streamline the Code of Federal Regulations Act of 2026. (Thus, agencies may issue such rescissions or amendments without prior public notice or opportunity for comment.)