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Congress·In Committee·13 days ago

House Bill Would Force Energy Agencies to Prove Rules Still Needed or Watch Them Expire

Also known as: Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act of 2026

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
Review
House
Senate
President

Impact Analysis

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

State Impacts

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

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.
Energy EnvironmentEconomy Finance

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions
Feb 17, 2026House

Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.

Feb 17, 2026

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

90 days after enactment

All existing energy and mining regulations must be amended to include an expiration date within one year

Agencies like the Department of Energy and Bureau of Land Management would have just 90 days to update potentially thousands of rules with sunset dates, creating a ticking clock on protections currently in place.

Approximately 1 year after enactment

Existing energy and mining regulations begin expiring unless agencies actively extend them

About one year after enactment, rules covering everything from appliance efficiency standards to offshore drilling safety could disappear if agencies haven't completed public comment and review for each one. This is when real-world effects would be felt.

5 years after enactment and recurring

Ongoing 5-year review cycles become the new normal for all covered regulations

Every energy and mining regulation would need to be re-justified through public comment every five years to survive. This creates a permanent cycle of regulatory uncertainty for the energy industry and communities affected by energy production.

Related News

4 articles
Politico·4 days ago

House approves bill to undo IRA energy efficiency programs

The House approved legislation from Rep. Craig Goldman (R-Texas) to repeal energy efficiency programs. Goldman, a key figure in the GOP's deregulation push, has also introduced the Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting Act to force expiration dates on federal energy rules.

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Quiver Quantitative·6 days ago

H.R. 7592: Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act of 2026

Representative Craig Goldman introduced H.R. 7592, which mandates that all existing energy regulations expire within one year unless agencies prove their necessity. New regulations would have a five-year lifespan, aiming to reduce the 200,000-page Code of Federal Regulations.

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Politico·11 months ago

Trump orders energy agencies to add 'sunset' provisions to regulations

President Trump issued an executive order requiring agencies like the DOE and EPA to add expiration dates to their rules. The 'Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting' initiative forces a periodic reexamination of every energy regulation to ensure they still serve the public interest.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

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

Bill NumberHR 7592
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Natural Resources, 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.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(7)
R: 7

Analysis generated by AI. While we strive for accuracy, this should not be considered legal or professional advice. Always verify information with official government sources.