To repeal certain executive orders.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 1781
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Energy
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-06T07:10:19Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill, H.R. 1781, aims to repeal four specific executive orders (EOs) issued by the President on January 20, 2025, which focus on energy production, environmental policies, and international agreements. By doing so, it seeks to nullify these orders and prevent the use of federal funds to carry them out, effectively reversing certain executive actions related to energy deregulation and environmental restrictions.
Key Provisions
- Repeal of Executive Orders (Section 1): Starting from the date the bill is enacted, the following EOs will have no legal force or effect, and no federal money can be used to implement, administer, enforce, or execute them:
- "Unleashing American Energy" – Likely promotes expanded domestic energy production, such as fossil fuels.
- "Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements" – Appears to prioritize U.S. interests in global environmental pacts, potentially withdrawing or renegotiating commitments.
- "Declaring a National Energy Emergency" – Declares an emergency to justify rapid changes in energy policy, possibly bypassing standard procedures.
- "Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government's Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects" – Halts new offshore wind energy leasing and reviews federal processes for wind projects, impacting renewable energy development.
- Savings Provision (Section 2): The bill does not limit the President's general constitutional or statutory powers; it only targets these specific EOs.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- This legislation directly overrides executive actions by congressional statute, which is a rare but established method for Congress to counteract EOs without challenging them in court.
- It introduces a funding prohibition, meaning agencies cannot spend money on these policies, effectively defunding their enforcement—a change that strengthens congressional control over the federal budget in relation to executive initiatives.
- No broader amendments to existing energy, environmental, or international laws are made; the focus is narrowly on nullifying these 2025 EOs, restoring prior policies unless otherwise modified.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Agencies like the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will be barred from advancing these EOs, potentially halting projects, reviews, or emergency declarations. This could lead to redirected resources toward pre-2025 policies, increasing administrative burdens to unwind any prior implementations.
- On Citizens: Everyday people may see shifts in energy costs and availability; for example, repealing energy deregulation could maintain or restore environmental protections, benefiting communities near fossil fuel sites but possibly raising energy prices if production expansions are blocked. Renewable energy supporters might gain from resuming offshore wind leasing.
- On International Relations: The repeal of the EO on international environmental agreements could reaffirm U.S. commitments to global pacts (e.g., Paris Agreement), improving diplomatic ties with allies focused on climate change, but it might strain relations with countries expecting U.S. withdrawal or renegotiation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Environmental and Conservation Groups: Likely supportive, as the bill blocks rollbacks on renewable energy and international climate efforts.
- Energy Industry (Fossil Fuels vs. Renewables): Oil, gas, and coal sectors may oppose the repeal due to lost deregulation benefits; wind and clean energy developers would benefit from restored leasing opportunities.
- Federal Agencies and Employees: Those in energy and environmental roles face policy reversals, potentially affecting jobs and operations.
- State Governments and Local Communities: States with offshore wind potential (e.g., East Coast) or fossil fuel reliance (e.g., Gulf Coast) could experience economic shifts in jobs and revenue.
- The President and Executive Branch: Limits the immediate impact of recent EOs, highlighting tensions between branches of government.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: EOs are executive directives that can be repealed by Congress through legislation, as they lack the permanence of statutes; this bill uses that authority without needing presidential approval if passed by veto-proof majorities. The funding ban leverages Congress's "power of the purse" under the Constitution.
- Constitutional: Reinforces separation of powers by allowing the legislative branch to check executive overreach, but could spark debates if viewed as interfering with the President's foreign affairs or emergency powers (though the savings provision mitigates this).
- Political: Introduced by Democrats (Ms. Castor and Mr. Tonko) and referred to multiple committees, it signals partisan divides on energy and climate policy. If enacted, it could set a precedent for future congressional interventions in executive actions, especially in a divided government, and influence midterm or future elections by mobilizing environmental versus industry voters.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (20)
Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Takano, Mark [D-CA-39], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6], Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15], Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7], Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Menendez, Robert [D-NJ-8], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Schrier, Kim [D-WA-8], Rep. Keating, William R. [D-MA-9]
Recent Actions
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Natural Resources, Ways and Means, Oversight and Government Reform, Agriculture, Armed Services, Financial Services, and Transportation and Infrastructure, 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.
- 2025-03-03: Introduced in House
- 2025-03-03: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To repeal certain executive orders. — issued 2025-03-03 — PDF (2 pages)