I
119THCONGRESS
1
STSESSION H. R. 1226
To sunset new Federal regulatory rules after 5 years, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY12, 2025
Mr. S
TUTZMAN(for himself, Mr. WEBERof Texas, and Mr. NORMAN) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the
Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
A BILL
To sunset new Federal regulatory rules after 5 years, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Restoring Checks and 4
Balances Act’’. 5
SEC. 2. SUNSET OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS AFTER 5 6
YEARS. 7
(a) S
UNSET.—Any covered rule issued by an agency 8
after the date of the enactment of this Act shall sunset 9
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on the date that is five years after the effective date of 1
such covered rule, unless specifically reauthorized by an 2
Act of Congress. 3
(b) A
FTERSUNSET.—An agency may not reissue, en-4
force, revise, or take other regulatory action related to a 5
covered rule that has sunset under subsection (a). 6
(c) O
VERSIGHT BY OMB ANDHEADS OFAGEN-7
CIES.—The Director of the Office of Management and 8
Budget or the head of the relevant agency may oversee 9
the sunset of covered rules under subsection (a). 10
SEC. 3. SUBMISSION OF REQUEST FOR REAUTHORIZATION 11
TO CONGRESS. 12
(a) R
EQUEST FORREAUTHORIZATION.—If the head 13
of an agency that issues covered rules wants to request 14
a reauthorization for such rules, such head shall, not later 15
than the December 1 that is one year before the date on 16
which the covered rule is scheduled to sunset, submit to 17
Congress and any appropriate committee of Congress a 18
report containing such request that includes— 19
(1) a justification for the reauthorization of 20
each covered rule; 21
(2) any related covered rules; and 22
(3) any recommendation or request made by the 23
chair or ranking member of an appropriate com-24
mittee of Congress. 25
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(b) SINGLESUBMISSION.—The head of an agency 1
submitting a request for reauthorization under subsection 2
(a) shall make every effort to bundle multiple requests for 3
reauthorization in a single submission. 4
(c) P
UBLICAVAILABILITY OFREPORTS.—Any report 5
submitted by the head of an agency under subsection (a) 6
shall be published on the public website of the agency. 7
SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCE-8
DURE. 9
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede 10
the provisions of chapter 5, 6, or 7 of title 5, United States 11
Code. 12
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 13
In this Act: 14
(1) A
GENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the 15
meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, 16
United States Code. 17
(2) A
DMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-18
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Office of In-19
formation and Regulatory Affairs in the Office of 20
Management and Budget. 21
(3) C
OVERED RULE.—The term ‘‘covered rule’’ 22
has the meaning given the term ‘‘rule’’ in section 23
551 of title 5, United States Code, but does not in-24
clude a rule— 25
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(A) issued in accordance with the formal 1
rulemaking provisions of sections 556 and 557 2
of title 5, United States Code; 3
(B) issued with respect to a military or 4
foreign affairs function of the United States; 5
(C) that the Administrator certifies in 6
writing is necessary for the enforcement of Fed-7
eral criminal laws; 8
(D) that is limited to agency organization, 9
management, or personnel matters; or 10
(E) that is necessary due to an imminent 11
threat to human health or safety or any other 12
emergency. 13
(4) S
UNSET.—The term ‘‘sunset’’ means to 14
have no force or effect. 15
Æ
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