Correction: They're Gutting Government's Ability to Protect You and the REINS Act Is How
And Counting on You Never Hearing About It
Important Correction: Federal REINS Act Status
Democracy Spark
August 10, 2025
In today's post "They're Gutting Government's Ability to Protect You and the REINS Act Is How," I made a significant error about the federal status of REINS Act provisions.
What I Got Wrong
I incorrectly stated that federal REINS Act provisions were enacted into law through the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." This was wrong. The Senate Parliamentarian stripped REINS provisions from the final bill under the Byrd Rule before passage. Federal REINS Act provisions are NOT currently law.
What Remains Accurate and Urgent
Everything else in the analysis stands and the threat remains serious:
8 states have enacted REINS laws - this is accelerating rapidly
5 states passed REINS in 2025 alone - unprecedented corporate campaign success
Gerrymandered legislatures override governors - North Carolina, Kansas, Kentucky forced REINS despite opposition
Corporate coordination is systematic - Americans for Prosperity and State Policy Network orchestrating nationwide
State and federal jurisdictions are different - states continue pushing because they target state agencies while federal efforts target federal agencies
Why This Matters More, Not Less
The fact that federal REINS was stripped out by Senate rules shows:
The threat was real - Republicans absolutely tried to gut federal protections
They'll try again - this was a temporary procedural defeat, not surrender
State-level success creates momentum - 8 states provide models and precedent for federal push
We caught this in time - but vigilance prevented federal regulatory paralysis
The Fight Continues
Corporate interests didn't abandon REINS after the federal setback - they doubled down on states. The state-by-state strategy remains their path to eventually overwhelming federal resistance.
Take Action: Everything in the original resistance section applies. Contact representatives about preventing future federal REINS attempts, support organizations fighting state-level versions, and help media understand this coordinated corporate campaign.
I apologize for the error on federal status while maintaining that this represents one of the most systematic corporate assaults on public protection in American history. The state-level victories alone threaten millions of lives.