National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Cohen
In Committee
Summary
Reins in presidential national emergency powers. This bill would replace the current National Emergencies Act structure with fixed time limits, clearer rules for renewals, and stronger public accounting for emergency spending.
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- Congress would gain a defined joint resolution process to approve or terminate emergencies and fixed review windows of 20 session days in the Senate and 20 legislative days in the House. Emergencies would also automatically end after five years unless renewed.
- The President and executive branch would have to publish a proclamation or Executive order identifying the specific statutes that authorize each emergency power before using them. Renewals would require both a Presidential executive order and a Congressional joint resolution and would extend emergencies year by year.
- Federal agencies and the public would face new reporting rules. The Treasury would publish an annual program-level report showing funds obligated or spent for each active emergency, disclose transfers and reprogrammings, and the President would provide updates at least every three months. When an emergency ends, unobligated reprogrammed funds would revert and related contracts would be terminated.
Sectional changes would also amend emergency accounting under the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act and set effective dates for those adjustments.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
6 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Shorter emergencies unless Congress approves
This bill would put strict time limits on new emergencies. The President could use named emergency powers for only 20 Senate session days and 20 House legislative days unless Congress passes a joint approval. If Congress does not approve, the President could not declare a similar emergency or use that unapproved power for the rest of that term. Each emergency would end after one year unless the President renews it and Congress approves the renewal before it expires. Any emergency would end automatically after five years. Existing emergencies three years or less would end five years after enactment; those older than three years would end two years after enactment.
Stronger reporting and money tracking
The President would have to name the exact laws used before agencies act under an emergency. The President would send Congress a written report when declaring or renewing an emergency, and at least every three months. The annual budget would include one report that lists emergency spending by account and program, and shows any transfers and why.
Emergency funds and contracts stop
When an emergency ends, all emergency powers would stop that day. Agencies would have to return any unspent, reprogrammed money to its original purpose. Contracts tied to the emergency would end on that date. This could stop some payments and projects.
Repeal of one part of emergency law
This bill would repeal one title of the current emergency law. Any authority that exists only in that title would end, which could remove some tools agencies used before.
No emergency workarounds of Congress
The President would be barred from using emergency powers to fund or start programs that Congress has chosen not to fund after the emergency began. This would block using emergencies to bypass Congress’s decision.
Sanctions emergencies keep old rules
If an emergency relies on the sanctions law (IEEPA), the old emergency rules would still apply. Those rules could be paired with other sanctions laws when needed. If the President also uses other emergency powers, the new rules in this bill would apply instead.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Cohen
TN • D
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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