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H.R. 3908: National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025

119th Congress · introduced 2025-06-11 · Emergency Management · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

federal

What does this mean?

Official title

National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025

Plain summary

National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025 This bill requires congressional approval for national emergencies, termination of national emergencies after five years, and related reporting by the President. It also repeals the exemption of funds for overseas contingency operations/global war on terrorism from sequestration, which is a process of automatic, usually across-the-board spending reductions under which budgetary resources are permanently cancelled to enforce specific budget policy goals. The bill requires that the President’s declaration of a national emergency and specified emergency powers terminate after 20 Senate session days and 20 House legislative days unless Congress passes a joint resolution approving the declaration and emergency powers. Congress must similarly approve the President’s annual renewal of emergencies. The bill also establishes new procedures for expedited congressional review of national emergencies and removes the existing requirement for a congressional termination review every six months. Emergencies automatically terminate after five years. The bill continues to apply existing law to national emergencies for which the President proposes exercising certain international emergency powers. Additionally, the bill requires the President to provide to Congress a report on relevant circumstances when transmitting a declaration and status reports every three months during the emergency. Also, the President’s budget must include a report on the expenditure of funds pursuant to national emergencies and presidential emergency action documents must be submitted to Congress.

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

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

A “Nay” vote

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

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

National Emergencies Reform Act of 2025

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9] · 0 cosponsors

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Words on this page, explained (3)
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).
Exemption
A rule that removes certain people, property or activities from a tax or requirement.
Joint resolution
In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong119-hr3908 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong119 · updated 2026-11-03 by psicol fed-bills