Limiting Emergency Powers Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Biggs (AZ)
In Committee
Summary
Congressional approval for national emergencies would be required to keep them active. The bill would impose a 30-day automatic termination unless Congress enacts a joint resolution to affirm a new emergency and would create a two-year sunset on affirmed emergencies unless Congress again approves a renewal.
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- Congress would gain a clear, timebound checkpoint. A new emergency must be affirmed by a joint resolution within 30 days and any affirmed emergency ends after two years unless Congress enacts another affirming resolution.
- Federal agencies would lose emergency authorities when an emergency ends. Any unobligated funds that were reprogrammed or transferred for the emergency must be returned and made available for their original purposes.
- Construction contractors tied to emergency projects could see contracts cut. Contracts for construction are terminated on the emergency end date unless actual construction began before that date.
- Ongoing legal actions and past acts stay protected. The bill preserves pending actions, acts committed before the end date, and matured rights or penalties from before termination.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
National emergencies end without quick Congress approval
If the President declares a national emergency, Congress would have 30 days to pass and enact a law affirming it. If not, the emergency would end then. Congress could also end it sooner by law, or the President could end it. Even if affirmed, the emergency would expire after two years unless the President renews it and Congress enacts a law affirming the renewal before that date. Existing emergencies would also end two years after enactment unless renewed the same way.
When emergencies end, money and powers stop
On the day a national emergency ends, any unobligated money moved for it would go back to its original use. Construction contracts tied to the emergency would be canceled unless work had already started. Emergency powers would stop, but ongoing cases, acts done earlier, and rights or penalties from before could still continue. Agencies, contractors, and grantees would need to follow these rules.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Biggs (AZ)
AZ • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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