Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2025

Senate Bill

S. 164

119th Congress

Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2025

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 21, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Ron Johnson

Senator

Republican

WI

Cosponsors

6

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Summary

This bill allows Congress to disapprove multiple regulations in a single joint resolution if the rules were submitted during the final year of a presidents term. Under current Congressional Review Act procedures, each resolution can only address one regulation. This change enables efficient rollback of end-of-term rulemaking by allowing batch disapproval of midnight regulations.

Latest Action

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

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill allows Congress to disapprove multiple regulations in a single joint resolution if the rules were submitted during the final year of a presidents term. Under current Congressional Review Act procedures, each resolution can only address one regulation. This change enables efficient rollback of end-of-term rulemaking by allowing batch disapproval of midnight regulations.

Last updated: 1/4/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2025This bill allows Congress to disapprove multiple regulations under one joint resolution of disapproval if the regulations were submitted for review during a portion of the final year of a President's term.Under current law, the Congressional Review Act generally provides for a period of additional review during the succeeding Congress for regulations that were submitted during the last 60 legislative days of the prior Congress. However, each joint resolution may disapprove of only one regulation.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Allows single resolution to disapprove multiple regulations
Targets rules submitted in final year of presidency
Amends Congressional Review Act procedures
Enables batch rollback of midnight regulations
Streamlines congressional disapproval process

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

Outgoing administrations often accelerate rulemaking in their final months. This bill would make it easier for incoming presidents and new congressional majorities to quickly reverse these midnight regulations. Supporters argue it prevents rushed, poorly-considered rules from taking effect. Critics contend it could enable wholesale reversal of legitimate regulatory actions.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Government Operations and Politics

Related Subjects

Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Congressional oversight

Legislative rules and procedure

Presidents and presidential powers, Vice Presidents

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

164, 119th Congress (2025). "Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2025". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-164