This resolution establishes expedited procedures in the House for voting to disapprove specific rules from the Comptroller of the Currency and the EPA, while also waiving certain procedural requirements for budget-related resolutions.
Nicholas Langworthy
Representative
NY-23
This resolution establishes expedited procedures in the House of Representatives to consider and vote on joint resolutions disapproving specific rules from the Comptroller of the Currency and the Environmental Protection Agency. It also temporarily waives certain House rules to fast-track the consideration of specific budget reconciliation-related resolutions reported by the Rules Committee. The overall goal is to quickly bring votes on overturning these agency regulations and streamlining certain budgetary measures.
| Party | Total Votes | Yes | No | Did Not Vote |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | 220 | 210 | 1 | 9 |
Democrat | 213 | 0 | 207 | 6 |
House Fast-Tracks Votes to Overturn Bank Merger and EPA Pollution Rules, Limiting Debate to One Hour
This resolution is all about clearing the legislative runway in the House of Representatives to quickly vote down two specific federal rules. It uses the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to target a rule from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) concerning bank merger reviews and another from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on how the agency classifies major pollution sources under the Clean Air Act. The key mechanism here is waiving standard House procedures, including procedural objections (points of order), to ensure these votes happen fast and with minimal friction.
The Express Lane for Regulatory Repeal
Think of this resolution as a procedural cheat code. Normally, bringing up a resolution to overturn a major agency rule involves committee hearings, scheduling negotiations, and plenty of procedural roadblocks that allow for extended debate. This resolution eliminates all that. For both the OCC and the EPA rules, the House is limiting the total debate time to just one hour, split evenly between the two parties, before moving straight to a final vote. This means complex rules that affect everything from the stability of the banking sector to the air quality in industrial areas will get an hour of discussion before Congress decides to scrap them. For busy people, this means less time for the implications of these reversals to be fully vetted in the public eye before they become final.
Targeting Banks and the Air We Breathe
The first rule being targeted is from the OCC and relates to how bank mergers are reviewed under the Bank Merger Act. If this rule is overturned, it changes the regulatory landscape for large financial institutions looking to consolidate. For consumers and small businesses, this could impact everything from local bank branch availability to the competitiveness of lending rates. The second target is the EPA’s rule on reclassifying major sources of air pollution as “area sources” under Section 112 of the Clean Air Act. Overturning this rule could impact air quality regulations, particularly in areas near industrial facilities. If you live or work near a manufacturing plant, changes to how the EPA regulates those emissions could directly affect your health and local environment.
Waiving the Rules for Budget Battles
Beyond the two specific regulatory targets, this resolution also includes a significant procedural waiver for future budget debates. It temporarily suspends a House rule that typically requires a two-thirds majority vote to consider certain budget-related resolutions reported by the Rules Committee on the same day they are introduced. This waiver is in place until May 23, 2025, specifically applying to measures related to budget reconciliation. This move is designed to smooth the path for future budget legislation, making it easier for the House majority to push through major fiscal policies without the typical procedural speed bumps, which further concentrates power over the legislative agenda.