Reorganizing Government Act of 2025
- Bill Number
- S. 583
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-02-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-02T08:45:30Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
The Reorganizing Government Act of 2025 aims to reauthorize and expand the President's authority to reorganize parts of the executive branch of the U.S. government. This is intended to make the government more efficient by allowing the President to propose changes that eliminate unnecessary operations, reduce the federal workforce, and cut burdensome regulations, ultimately serving the public interest.
Key Provisions
- Expanded Reorganization Goals (Section 901): Adds new objectives for reorganization plans, including eliminating operations not essential to constitutional duties, reducing the number of federal employees, simplifying or removing rules and regulations to lower compliance costs, and ending government activities that do not benefit the public.
- Definition of "Executive Department" (Section 902): Broadens the term to include any executive department, agency, independent establishment, wholly owned government corporation, or office/officer in the executive branch. Excludes the Government Accountability Office (GAO, an independent agency that audits government operations) and the Comptroller General (head of the GAO).
- Submission and Approval of Plans (Section 903): Allows the President to submit reorganization plans to Congress, which must approve or disapprove them as a whole. Removes a prior limit that prevented plans from abolishing enforcement functions (e.g., regulatory oversight) or statutory programs (e.g., legally mandated initiatives).
- Congressional Review Process (Sections 904–905): Plans take effect after 90 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution of disapproval. Adds a new ground for disapproval: plans that would create a net increase in federal workers or spending. Replaces an old expiration date (1984) with December 31, 2026, to extend the authority.
- Other Updates: Extends related deadlines to 2026 and adjusts procedural details, such as changing a reference in Section 909 from "19" to "20" (likely referring to the number of calendar days in the review period).
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Scope Shift from "Agencies" to "Executive Departments": Replaces the term "agencies" throughout Chapter 9 of Title 5, U.S. Code, with "executive departments," focusing reorganization authority more narrowly on cabinet-level departments and related entities while still allowing broad application.
- Removal of Restrictions: Eliminates the prohibition on abolishing enforcement functions or statutory programs, enabling more comprehensive restructuring.
- New Limitations on Growth: Introduces prohibitions against plans that increase the federal workforce or expenditures, contrasting with prior law that did not explicitly address workforce or budget growth.
- Reauthorization and Extension: Revives and prolongs an authority that expired in 1984, updating it for modern use until the end of 2026.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Could lead to mergers, eliminations, or streamlining of executive departments and operations, potentially reducing bureaucracy and costs but disrupting ongoing programs.
- On Citizens: May result in more efficient government services by cutting unnecessary rules and activities, though it could affect access to certain programs if they are deemed non-essential.
- On Federal Employees: Directly targets workforce reduction, which might lead to job losses or reallocations, impacting thousands of civil servants.
- On International Relations: Minimal direct impact, but changes to departments like State or Defense could indirectly affect foreign policy execution if reorganizations alter their structure.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- President and Executive Branch: Gains enhanced tools for reorganization, allowing quicker implementation of efficiency measures.
- Congress: Retains veto power through disapproval resolutions but must respond to broader, more aggressive plans.
- Federal Employees and Unions: Faces potential reductions in staffing and operations, affecting job security and workplace rules.
- Government Watchdogs (e.g., GAO): Explicitly excluded from reorganization, preserving their independence.
- Taxpayers and the Public: Benefits from potential cost savings and reduced regulatory burdens, but risks service disruptions if key functions are cut.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal Implications: Strengthens presidential authority under delegated powers from Congress (Chapter 9 of Title 5), but the removal of limits on abolishing programs could face court challenges if seen as overreach into statutory mandates.
- Constitutional Implications: Balances separation of powers by requiring congressional approval for plans, avoiding unilateral executive action; however, it expands delegation of legislative-like authority to the President, which might raise debates on Article I (Congress's rulemaking power) versus Article II (executive duties).
- Political Implications: Could enable partisan efforts to shrink government (e.g., during a sympathetic administration), sparking debates over "small government" versus protecting essential services; the 2026 sunset clause provides a built-in review point, potentially making it a temporary tool rather than permanent change.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (2)
Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT], Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]
Recent Actions
- 2025-02-13: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
- 2025-02-13: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Reorganizing Government Act of 2025 — issued 2025-02-13 — PDF (5 pages)