Supreme Court to Hear Key Cases Challenging NOAA Fisheries Rule on Herring Vessel Monitor Salaries January 17

The Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in two cases, Relentless v Commerce v Commerce and Loper Bright Enterprises v Raimondo, on Jan. 17. The two cases challenge a NOAA Fisheries rule that holds herring vessel operators responsible for paying the salaries of monitors that guard against over-fishing. The Chevron doctrine, a 40-year-old legal precedent, allows federal agencies to interpret their rulemaking power when laws are ambiguous. Conservative lawyers argue that the high court should avoid deferring to agencies in cases, shifting power back to Congress. A ruling that changes the courts’ approach to Chevron would apply even more widely, since the doctrine can be invoked any time a federal statute is unclear.