119th (2025–2027)
H.R. 6971
H.R. 6971 of the 119th Congress significantly expands congressional oversight of executive branch actions by requiring the President to submit detailed justifications for all Executive Orders to Congress and mandating congressional approval of major Executive Orders within 70 days or face automatic rejection, with limited emergency exceptions. The bill also establishes a parallel review process for federal agency regulations, requiring agencies to classify rules as major or nonmajor and submit them to Congress, with major rules (those costing $100 million or more annually) requiring explicit congressional approval within 70 days while nonmajor rules face a 60-day window for disapproval. Both processes feature expedited congressional procedures including mandatory introduction timelines, streamlined committee reviews, and limited floor debate with no amendments allowed, while exempting Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions and certain hunting, fishing, and camping regulations from review. The bill includes emergency carve-outs allowing the President to temporarily implement major Executive Orders for 90 days in national security, criminal enforcement, or trade agreement situations. Additionally, the Government Accountability Office must study and report to Congress within one year on the total number of federal rules currently in effect and their estimated combined economic cost.