Supreme Court Reconsidering Chevron Deference, Potentially Limiting Federal Agencies' Policymaking Power
• The Supreme Court is revisiting the legal doctrine of "Chevron deference," which requires judges to defer to federal agencies' reasonable interpretations of ambiguous laws.
• Chevron deference allows agencies significant power to craft regulations and policies based on laws passed by Congress. Overturning it would limit agencies and executive power.
• Conservative justices have criticized Chevron for years and appear ready to overturn or limit the precedent. It hasn't been used to decide a Supreme Court case since 2016.
• The cases involve a fishing regulation but focus purely on the Chevron legal question. The outcomes could impact federal policymaking power across many areas.
• Congress has declined to legislatively override Chevron despite Republican efforts. The Biden administration argues preserving precedent respects separation of powers.