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HR8440119th CongressWALLET

ZELDIN Act

Sponsored By: Representative Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]

Introduced

Summary

Congress would gain direct control over whether EPA can drop certain cancer-related lawsuits or withdraw referrals to the Justice Department, imposing a strict notice and approval window. The ZELDIN Act targets EPA actions tied to chemicals that the agency's IRIS program calls likely or known human carcinogens and lasts until January 20, 2029.

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  • EPA and Congress: Agencies would have to notify Congress and wait for a joint resolution introduced within 30 days before the EPA Administrator may dismiss a covered lawsuit or withdraw a DOJ referral. The bill creates expedited, nonamendable procedures in both chambers for those resolutions.
  • Grant recipients and agency lawyers: Terminating EPA grants or cooperative agreements would require a signoff from the EPA Office of General Counsel that the termination follows OMB and EPA rules. Funds could not be treated as deobligated until any civil action and all administrative processes are finished.
  • Individuals and enforcement: People harmed by violations could get injunctions, attorney fees, and damages equal to compensatory plus punitive awards or $1,000 per violation, with triple damages for bad-faith violations. Courts could cut the EPA Administrator's pay to $1 after a finding of certain violations.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

6 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 3 mixed.

New private lawsuit rights and damages

If enacted, any person harmed by a violation of this Act would be able to sue in federal court for an injunction, money damages, and costs including reasonable attorney's fees. Damages would be the greater of (A) compensatory plus punitive damages or (B) $1,000 per violation. If the violation was in bad faith, damages would be tripled. These remedies would take effect on enactment and would end when the Act sunsets on January 20, 2029.

Act ends January 20, 2029

If enacted, the entire Act would stop working on January 20, 2029. After that date, the Act's requirements, restrictions, and protections would no longer apply. The sunset is effective on enactment and sets a fixed end date for all provisions.

Congressional review of EPA carcinogen suits

If enacted, the EPA Administrator would have to notify Congress before seeking to dismiss an EPA lawsuit or withdraw a DOJ referral about a claim that a chemical IRIS has assessed as a likely or known human carcinogen. A joint resolution approving the dismissal or withdrawal would have to be introduced within 30 days (excluding long adjournments). The bill would force fast, non-amendable House and Senate procedures: committees must report within 3 legislative or session days and floor debate is limited to about 2 hours total.

EPA must use OMB economic guidance

If enacted, EPA would have to follow OMB Circular No. A-4 (2023) when doing regulatory analysis for significant regulatory actions and prepare economic analyses using EPA's Guidelines for Preparing Economic Analyses (3rd ed., 2024). The rule would apply to major actions that quantify and monetize public health benefits. This requirement would take effect on enactment and would end on January 20, 2029.

Protections for EPA grant recipients

If enacted, EPA would have to get a written determination from its Office of General Counsel before terminating a grant or cooperative agreement, saying the termination complies with OMB and EPA rules and the award terms. Awarded money could not be treated as unobligated or returned to the Treasury until any related civil case and administrative processes finish. Other federal agencies could not penalize or report a recipient for not closing out the award while a court case is pending. These rules would start on enactment and end on January 20, 2029.

Court can cut EPA chief pay

If enacted, a U.S. district court that finds the EPA Administrator violated certain provisions of this Act would be able to reduce the Administrator's annual basic pay to $1. The pay reduction would start on the first day of the first applicable pay period after the court finding and remain available until the Act sunsets on January 20, 2029.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Carter, Troy A. [D-LA-2]

LA • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Fletcher, Lizzie [D-TX-7]

    TX • D

    Sponsored 4/22/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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