The Carter Administration initiated a number of precedent setting actions to control the size of the administrative state, see the Regulatory Reform Act of 1979. Among other things the Act requires regulatory analyses of major rules. Presidential Message on Regulatory Reform:
This bill strengthens the reforms introduced by E.O. 12044, makes them permanent, and applies them to the independent regulatory commissions. It also overhauls key parts of the Administrative Procedure Act, for the first time since 1946. It sets vital new rules for the regulators:
