National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025
National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill would change how the U.S. handles national emergencies by requiring Congress to actively approve them rather than allowing the President to declare emergencies largely on their own. Currently, a President can declare a national emergency and use special powers without congressional action. Under this bill, a President's emergency declaration would expire after about 20 days unless Congress passes a resolution approving it.
Additionally, any renewal of an emergency would also require congressional approval each year, giving lawmakers regular opportunities to review whether the emergency still exists. **Who It Affects:** This bill directly impacts the President's emergency powers and Congress's role in overseeing them. It would affect federal agencies during emergencies and potentially limit how quickly the executive branch can respond to crises. The bill also includes a separate provision about military spending by removing certain exemptions for overseas military operations from automatic spending cuts. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee, meaning it's in the early stages of the legislative process and hasn't been voted on by the full House yet. As of now, it remains a proposal rather than law.
CRS Official Summary
National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025This bill requires congressional approval for national emergencies, termination of national emergencies after five years, and related reporting by the President. It also repeals the exemption of funds for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism from sequestration, which is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals. The bill requires that the President’s declaration of a national emergency and specified emergency powers terminate after 20 Senate session days and 20 House legislative days unless Congress passes a joint resolution approving the declaration and emergency powers. Congress must similarly approve the President’s annual renewal of emergencies. The bill also establishes new procedures for expedited congressional review of national emergencies and removes the existing requirement for a congressional termination review every six months. Emergencies automatically terminate after five years.The bill continues to apply existing law to national emergencies for which the President proposes exercising certain international emergency powers. Additionally, the bill requires the President to provide to Congress a report on relevant circumstances when transmitting a declaration and status reports every three months during the emergency. Also, the President’s budget must include a report on the expenditure of funds pursuant to national emergencies and presidential emergency action documents must be submitted to Congress.
Latest Action
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.