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Congress·Passed House·about 1 year ago

House Passes Bill to Let Congress Cancel Multiple Year-End Regulations with a Single Vote

Also known as: Midnight Rules Relief Act

Legislative Progress

✓ Filed
✓ Review
✓ House

212–208

Senate
President

Key Points

  • This bill changes how Congress can cancel rules made by government agencies. Right now, if Congress wants to stop a new regulation, they usually have to vote on each one separately. This bill would let them bundle many rules together and cancel them all with just one vote.
  • The bill specifically targets what are known as "midnight rules." These are regulations that government agencies finish and put into place during the very last year of a president's four-year term.
  • This matters because it makes it much faster and easier for a new Congress to wipe away many policies from the previous administration all at once. It saves time by avoiding separate debates and votes for every single rule.
  • If this becomes law, it could lead to large-scale changes in federal policy very quickly after a new president takes office. Congress could strike down dozens of environmental, labor, or financial rules in a single afternoon.
Economy Finance

Milestones

4 milestones15 actions
Feb 13, 2025Senate

Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Feb 12, 2025House

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Feb 12, 2025House

On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 212 - 208 (Roll no. 41). (text: CR H654)

Feb 12, 2025

Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 212 - 208 (Roll no. 41). (text: CR H654)

Feb 12, 2025House

On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 205 - 213 (Roll no. 40).

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

2025

Senate committee reviews the bill and decides whether to bring it to a full Senate vote

The bill has passed the House but still needs Senate approval and a presidential signature before it changes anything. Until then, the current one-at-a-time process for canceling regulations stays in place.

Vote Results

2 votes
HouseFailedAmendmentFeb 12, 2025

On Motion to Recommit

205
213
Democrat
205 – 0 · 10
Republican
0 – 213 · 5
View full roll call
HousePassedPassageFeb 12, 2025

On Passage

212
208
Democrat
1 – 207 · 7
Republican
211 – 1 · 6
View full roll call

Related News

3 articles
Politico·about 1 year ago

House OKs bill allowing mass overturn of Biden regulations

The House approved H.R. 77, the 'Midnight Rules Relief Act,' in a 212-208 vote. The measure would allow lawmakers to roll back multiple federal regulations in one Congressional Review Act resolution, specifically targeting rules finalized during the final year of a president's term.

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Thomson Reuters·about 1 year ago

House Narrowly Passes Midnight Rules Relief Act

The House voted 212-208 to pass a bill allowing Congress to review multiple Congressional Review Act eligible final rules in a single joint resolution. The act could potentially allow Republicans to overturn up to 1,400 regulations finalized in the final months of the Biden administration.

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Politico·about 1 year ago

House to vote again on bill targeting 'midnight rules'

H.R. 77 would allow lawmakers to roll back numerous federal rules under one resolution if submitted during the last 60 legislative days of a president's term. An earlier version passed the House in December 2024 but was not taken up by the Senate.

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Source Information

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Midnight Rules Relief Act

Bill NumberHR 77
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReceived in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Sponsor

Cosponsors

(12)
R: 12

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.