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S. 4862: UNSHACKLE Act of 2020

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S. 4862: UNSHACKLE Act of 2020

116th Congress · introduced 2020-10-26 · Environmental Protection · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2020-10-26 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

UNSHACKLE Act of 2020

Plain summary

Undoing NEPA’s Substantial Harm by Advancing Concepts that Kickstart the Liberation of the Economy Act of 2020 or the UNSHACKLE Act of 2020 This bill revises the environmental review process required under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), including by establishing deadlines for federal agencies to complete reviews of the environmental effects of proposed major federal actions; establishing penalties for agencies that do not comply with these deadlines; limiting the number of assessment documents required for proposed major federal actions, requiring agencies to reuse certain research or documents, and allowing agencies to adopt environmental documents prepared by states or third parties; requiring agencies to only consider alternatives to proposed actions that are technically and economically feasible; prohibiting agencies from considering whether proposed actions or alternatives to those actions will have an effect on climate change; and establishing requirements concerning the judicial review of NEPA cases.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

UNSHACKLE Act of 2020

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

Arguments for (supporters)

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Arguments against (opponents)

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] · 2 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Ted Cruz (R-TX)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Lee, Mike [R-UT] reported raising $2.5 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong116-s4862 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116