Bill Summary
The "Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act of 2026" aims to enhance regulatory efficiency within certain U.S. agencies by establishing mandatory expiration dates for specific regulations. The key provisions include:
1. **Definition of Covered Agencies**: The bill applies to the Department of Energy, various offices within the Department of the Interior, and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
2. **Sunset Requirements**: Existing regulations must have a sunset provision that expires within one year of the bill’s enactment, while new regulations must expire within five years unless exempted for having a net deregulatory effect.
3. **Extension Protocols**: Agencies can extend the expiration dates of regulations for up to five additional years, but only after soliciting public comment and determining the necessity for the extension based on feedback.
4. **Consequences of Expiration**: If a regulation's expiration date is not extended, it becomes void, and the agency must remove it from the Code of Federal Regulations.
5. **Administrative Provisions**: The bill clarifies that it does not create any enforceable rights or benefits against the U.S. government or its entities.
Overall, the legislation seeks to promote regulatory accountability and ensure that regulations remain relevant and effective.
Possible Impacts
The "Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act of 2026" outlined in the legislation could affect people in several ways:
1. **Impact on Energy Regulation**: The act mandates that regulations from agencies like the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Land Management will have sunset provisions, meaning they will expire after a set period (1 year for existing regulations and 5 years for new ones). This could lead to reduced regulatory oversight on energy production and environmental protections, which might result in increased energy production but could also lead to potential environmental degradation affecting communities living near energy production sites.
2. **Public Participation in Regulation Extension**: The requirement for public comment before extending a regulation may empower citizens and stakeholders to voice their opinions on regulations that impact their communities. However, if the regulations are seen as burdensome, this could lead to a reduction in protective measures, thus influencing the quality of life and environmental safety for those affected by such regulations.
3. **Economic Implications for Industries**: The act may create an uncertain regulatory environment for industries related to energy, mining, and environmental management. Companies that depend on stable regulations may face challenges in long-term planning and investment due to the possibility of regulations expiring or being significantly altered. This uncertainty could lead to economic volatility in these sectors and affect employment opportunities for workers in these industries.
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7592 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7592
To require certain agencies to impose extendable sunset dates on
certain regulations, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 17, 2026
Mr. Goldman of Texas (for himself, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Weber
of Texas, Ms. Van Duyne, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Moore of Alabama, and Mr.
Harrigan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on
Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To require certain agencies to impose extendable sunset dates on
certain regulations, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to
Unleash American Energy Act of 2026''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS; STATUTORY IDENTIFICATION.
In this Act:
(1) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means each
of the following:
(A) The Department of Energy.
(B) Each of the following offices within the
Department of the Interior:
(i) The Bureau of Land Management.
(ii) The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
(iii) The Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement.
(iv) The Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement.
(C) The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
(2) Covered regulation.--The term ``covered regulation''
means--
(A) with respect to the Department of Energy, any
regulation promulgated by the Department of Energy
under or pursuant to--
(i) the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42
U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
(ii) the Energy Independence and Security
Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17001 et seq.);
(iii) the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42
U.S.C. 13201 et seq.);
(iv) the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 15801 et seq.); or
(v) part B of title III of the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6291 et
seq.);
(B) with respect to the Bureau of Land Management,
any regulation promulgated by the Bureau of Land
Management under or pursuant to--
(i) the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 15801 et seq.);
(ii) the Federal Land Policy and Management
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or
(iii) sections 2319 through 2344 of the
Revised Statutes (commonly known as the
``Mining Law of 1872'') (30 U.S.C. 22 et seq.);
(C) with respect to the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management, any regulation promulgated by the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management under or pursuant to--
(i) the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42
U.S.C. 15801 et seq.); or
(ii) the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.);
(D) with respect to the Bureau of Safety and
Environmental Enforcement, any regulation promulgated
by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement
under or pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands
Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.);
(E) with respect to the Office of Surface Mining
Reclamation and Enforcement, any regulation promulgated
by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and
Enforcement under or pursuant to the Surface Mining
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1201 et
seq.); and
(F) with respect to the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission, any regulation promulgated by the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission under or pursuant to--
(i) the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 791a
et seq.);
(ii) the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717 et
seq.); or
(iii) the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel
Use Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.).
(3) Regulation.--The term ``regulation'' means each part,
subpart, or individual provision of a rule (as defined in
section 551 of title 5, United States Code) promulgated by a
covered agency.
SEC. 3. ZERO-BASED REGULATING.
(a) Sunsets Required.--
(1) Existing regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, the head of each covered agency
shall amend each covered regulation in effect on that date to
provide that each covered regulation expires not later than the
date that is 1 year after the effective date of that amendment.
(2) New regulations.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), for
each covered regulation promulgated on or after the
date of enactment of this Act, the head of the
applicable covered agency shall ensure that the covered
regulation expires not later than 5 years after the
effective date of the covered regulation.
(B) Waiver.--The head of a covered agency may
exempt a covered regulation promulgated by the covered
agency on or after the date of enactment of this Act
from the requirement under subparagraph (A) if the head
of the covered agency--
(i) determines that the covered regulation
has a net deregulatory effect; and
(ii) notifies the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget of that determination.
(b) Extension of Sunsets.--
(1) In general.--The head of a covered agency may only
extend an expiration date imposed pursuant to subsection (a)--
(A) to a date that is not more than 5 years after
the current expiration date; and
(B) if, before the current expiration date and
except as provided in paragraph (2)(A)--
(i) the head of the covered agency provides
an opportunity for public comment on the costs
and benefits of the applicable covered
regulation, which may include the publication
of a request for information with respect to
the covered regulation; and
(ii) following the completion of the
opportunity for public comment under clause
(i), the head of the covered agency determines,
based on the comments provided in that
opportunity, that an extension of the covered
regulation is warranted.
(2) Effect of amendments.--
(A) Deregulatory amendments.--If the head of a
covered agency determines that an amendment to a
covered regulation of that covered agency has a net
deregulatory effect, the amendment may extend the
expiration date for that covered regulation without
carrying out the requirements of subparagraph (B) of
paragraph (1), subject to the limitation described in
subparagraph (A) of that paragraph.
(B) Other amendments.--If the head of a covered
agency does not make the determination described in
subparagraph (A) with respect to an amendment to a
covered regulation of that covered agency, the existing
expiration date of the covered regulation being amended
shall apply to that amendment unless the requirements
described in paragraph (1)(B) have been met.
(3) Continued extensions.--The head of a covered agency may
extend the expiration date of a covered regulation as many
times as the head of the agency determines appropriate, subject
to the condition that each extension meets the requirements of
this subsection.
(4) Savings provision.--Seeking public comment with respect
to a covered regulation under paragraph (1)(B)(i), including
through a request for information, shall not automatically
extend the applicable expiration date of the covered
regulation.
(c) Effect of Sunset.--If the expiration date of a covered
regulation is not extended in accordance with subsection (b)--
(1) the covered regulation shall cease to have any effect
as of that expiration date;
(2) the applicable covered agency shall not enforce the
covered regulation on or after that expiration date; and
(3) as soon as practicable after that expiration date, the
head of the applicable covered agency shall remove the covered
regulation from the Code of Federal Regulations.
SEC. 4. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Act or the application of such provision
to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the
remainder of this Act, and the application of the provision to any
other person or circumstance, shall not be affected.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.
(a) Savings Provisions.--Nothing in this Act impairs or otherwise
affects the authority granted by law to an executive department or
agency, or the head of an executive department or agency.
(b) No Rights or Benefits.--Nothing in this Act creates any right
or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity,
by any party against the United States, the departments, agencies, or
entities of the United States, the officers, employees, or agents of
the United States, or any other person.
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