Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act of 2026

Key Points

• This bill would force several government agencies to put "expiration dates" on their rules. If an agency does not review a rule and prove it is still necessary, that rule will automatically disappear and can no longer be enforced.
• The policy targets agencies that handle energy, mining, and public lands, including the Department of Energy and the Bureau of Land Management. This affects companies in the oil, gas, coal, and nuclear industries, as well as environmental groups and people living near energy projects.
• For rules already in place, agencies would have to set them to expire within just one year of the bill becoming law. For new rules created in the future, the expiration date would usually be five years, unless the rule is specifically designed to reduce regulations.
• To keep a rule active, the agency must ask the public for feedback on its costs and benefits. They can only extend a rule for five years at a time, meaning they must constantly check back to make sure the rule is still doing its job without causing too much harm to the economy.
• Supporters believe this will help the economy by getting rid of old or unnecessary red tape that slows down energy production. However, there is a risk that important safety or environmental protections could accidentally expire if the government is too busy to finish the required reviews on time.

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