Opinion: Reining in Washington’s overreach

By Joni Ernst

Our government is supposed to be “by the people and for the people.”

Unfortunately, an obscure Supreme Court decision made four decades ago effectively handcuffed citizens and paved the way for unelected bureaucrats to extend the long arm of government into nearly every aspect of Iowans’ lives.

The Chevron deference doctrine, as it became known following the 1984 ruling, gave federal agencies the power to exploit ambiguities in laws passed by Congress to grant themselves sweeping authority. If citizens sued in response, the doctrine required courts to always side with bureaucrats if they flimsily claimed what they were trying to do was “reasonable.” This created a perfect storm where Washington could systematically expand its power, and everyday Americans could not fight back.

After I urged the Supreme Court to overrule Chevron, the high court rightly took a sledgehammer to bureaucratic power through a recent decision. SCOTUS made clear what I knew all along: Congress writes the laws, not unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats.

This monumental decision reclaimed misplaced power from Washington and returned it to the American people.

But the work to bring bureaucratic overreach to a swift stop has only just begun, and I am working overtime to undo the last four decades of government grabs.

To make sure agencies are actually implementing this new standard, I’m dedicated to undoing the damage done by unchecked bureaucrats. Alongside a working group of more than a dozen senators, I will be actively providing oversight of 101 federal agencies to see exactly what has been going on.

In addition to reviewing the agencies’ work, I have proactively introduced the Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome (SCRUB) Act which would require a review of current federal regulations to cut down costs and ease the burden on households, family farms and small businesses.

Additionally, I support the Separation of Powers Restoration Act which would force courts to place citizens and businesses on equal footing with federal agencies. Never again will federal bureaucrats be put on a pedestal above their fellow Americans.

We must also bring decision-making closer to the American people and make government responsive to the real needs of this country by passing my Strategic Withdrawal of Agencies for Meaningful Placement (SWAMP) Act which would move federal agency headquarters outside of Washington, D.C. and distribute them across the country among the people most impacted by their decisions.

Lastly, and what should be the smallest ask, bureaucrats need to show up to work. It is crazy that this is even a problem, but my investigations have uncovered a culture where federal employees view showing up to work, and even living in the same state as their job, as optional at best.

Investigations I requested last August exposed that almost four years after COVID-19 temporarily closed federal buildings, not a single government agency was utilizing even half their office space. My efforts also uncovered widespread payroll fraud. In fact, a study of one agency found that of the employees reviewed, a staggering 80% were receiving improper locality pay. We are still uncovering the full extent of the fraud, and it could cost taxpayers millions. There should never be a question if a federal employee is at work or relaxing on a beach 1,000 miles away on permanent vacation.

My commitment to rein in Washington overreach and “make ‘em squeal” starts by holding bloated bureaucrats growing fat on the taxpayer’s dime accountable to working for the people.

Joni Ernst, a native of Red Oak and a combat veteran, represents Iowa in the United States Senate.