Congress Clarifies Clock: New Rule Ensures All Days Count for Reviewing Feb 1st National Emergency

This resolution makes a technical but important adjustment to House rules, specifically concerning how Congress handles the potential termination of a national emergency declared on February 1, 2025. It amends House Resolution 211 to explicitly state that all days occurring during the first session of the 119th Congress will be counted as calendar days when considering a joint resolution to end that specific emergency. Essentially, it ensures there's no ambiguity about whether weekends or recess days pause the clock on the review period set by the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622).

Keeping Congress on Schedule

So, why does counting every single day matter? The National Emergencies Act gives Congress a mechanism to check presidential power by allowing it to vote on ending a declared emergency. This process has specific timelines. By defining 'calendar days' to include every day without exception for this particular emergency review, this amendment aims to create a clear, unambiguous, and potentially faster timeline for congressional action. It removes any procedural wiggle room about which days count, ensuring that if Congress decides to move forward with a termination resolution for the February 1, 2025 emergency, the process follows a predictable and clearly defined schedule laid out in advance.