Sponsors
Limits and clarifies how the President may declare and use national emergencies, requires the President to identify the specific statutory authorities used and sets automatic time limits unless Congress approves renewals, and gives Congress expedited tools to review and terminate emergencies. It also forces much greater budget and transaction transparency for emergency actions (detailed budget-year reporting and accounting for obligations, transfers, and reprogrammings), requires timely delivery of presidential emergency action documents to specified congressional committees, and makes a targeted technical change to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act with a delayed effective date.
Authorizes the President to declare national emergencies by proclamation and requires immediate transmission to Congress and publication in the Federal Register.
Requires the President to specify, in each proclamation or related Executive order, the statutory provisions the President proposes to use during the emergency before those powers may be exercised.
If Congress does not enact a joint resolution of approval under section 203 for a national emergency or for specific authorities listed by the President, the President may not, for the rest of that President’s term, (A) declare a new emergency based on substantially the same circumstances, and (B) exercise the specified power or authority for that emergency.
No law enacted after this Act may supersede this title unless the later law expressly refers to this title and says it supersedes it.
Emergency powers invoked must relate to the nature of the emergency and may be used only to address that specific emergency.
Who is affected and how:
President and Executive Office: Must identify statutory authorities when declaring emergencies, comply with automatic time limits unless Congress acts, and provide new categories of documents to Congress. This increases legal and administrative review demands on the White House.
Federal agencies and program offices (OMB, Treasury, department program offices): Must track obligations and expenditures tied to emergency statutory authorities at the TAFS/fund account and program/project/activity level, compile detailed reports for the President’s budget, and document any transfers or reprogrammings. Agencies will likely need new accounting and reporting processes, additional staff time, and closer coordination with OMB and Treasury.
Congressional committees and Members of Congress: Gain faster access to presidential emergency action documents, more granular budget and spending information, and expedited procedures to review or terminate emergency declarations, thereby increasing congressional oversight power.
Federal financial managers and grant/contract administrators: Will face new documentation requirements for funds used under emergency authorities, including explicit descriptions of legal authority, purpose, and progress toward objectives.
The public and taxpayers: Will benefit from greater transparency about emergency spending and the legal authorities used, which could improve accountability but may also slow some executive responses during emergencies.
State and local governments and private-sector implementers: Indirectly affected where emergencies trigger federal programs; improved documentation may change how funds are transferred or reported, and congressional review could affect the timing or duration of emergency-funded programs.
Overall effect: The legislation increases congressional control and public transparency over emergency declarations and the use of emergency-related funds, while imposing administrative burdens on the executive branch and potentially reducing the speed or flexibility of certain executive actions in emergencies.
Last progress June 11, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 11, 2025 by Stephen Cohen
Referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Rules, and the Budget, 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.