Legis Daily

CLEAR Act

USA119th CongressHR-4218| House 
| Updated: 1/21/2026
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Republican Representative

Georgia

Cosponsors (8)
Rick W. Allen (Republican)Dan Newhouse (Republican)H. Morgan Griffith (Republican)August Pfluger (Republican)Jay Obernolte (Republican)Robert E. Latta (Republican)Randy K. Sr. Weber (Republican)Troy Balderson (Republican)

Environment Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation proposes significant amendments to the Clean Air Act, aiming to provide states with increased flexibility and extended timelines for achieving national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). It extends the review cycle for NAAQS from five to ten years, reducing the frequency of updates. Additionally, the bill permits the Administrator to consider the likely attainability of a standard as a secondary factor when establishing or revising it, provided public health is adequately protected. The bill offers states more time to address deficiencies in their implementation plans, granting at least one year before the Environmental Protection Agency can promulgate a Federal Implementation Plan. For ozone and particulate matter nonattainment areas, it introduces the consideration of economic feasibility alongside technological achievability for certain control measures and removes the requirement for contingency measures in Extreme Ozone Nonattainment Areas. Furthermore, the Act broadens the definition of "exceptional events" to include actions taken to mitigate wildfire risk and other human activities unlikely to recur, while explicitly excluding routine air stagnation. Crucially, it protects states from federal sanctions or fees for non-attainment if they can demonstrate that the failure was due to emissions beyond their control, such as those from outside the nonattainment area, exceptional events, or certain mobile sources. Finally, the bill revises the composition of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and mandates that it assess potential adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects of various attainment strategies before NAAQS are established or revised.
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Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-842
CLEAR Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-7178
CLEAR Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-6562
CLEAR Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-2690
CLEAR Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-10211
CLEAR Act of 2024

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3789
CLEAR Act of 2023

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3182
CLEAR Act
Jan 16, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-114
Introduced in Senate
Jun 27, 2025
Introduced in House
Jun 27, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.
Jun 27, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Dec 10, 2025
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Dec 10, 2025
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 14 - 10.
Jan 21, 2026
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 23.
Jan 21, 2026
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-842
    CLEAR Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-7178
    CLEAR Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-6562
    CLEAR Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-2690
    CLEAR Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-10211
    CLEAR Act of 2024


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3789
    CLEAR Act of 2023


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3182
    CLEAR Act


  • January 16, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-114
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 27, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • June 27, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.


  • June 27, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.


  • December 10, 2025
    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • December 10, 2025
    Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 14 - 10.


  • January 21, 2026
    Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 23.


  • January 21, 2026
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

Environmental Protection

Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCivil actions and liabilityClimate change and greenhouse gasesCongressional oversightEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)Environmental regulatory proceduresFiresForests, forestry, treesGovernment studies and investigationsLicensing and registrationsNatural disastersState and local government operations

CLEAR Act

USA119th CongressHR-4218| House 
| Updated: 1/21/2026
This legislation proposes significant amendments to the Clean Air Act, aiming to provide states with increased flexibility and extended timelines for achieving national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS). It extends the review cycle for NAAQS from five to ten years, reducing the frequency of updates. Additionally, the bill permits the Administrator to consider the likely attainability of a standard as a secondary factor when establishing or revising it, provided public health is adequately protected. The bill offers states more time to address deficiencies in their implementation plans, granting at least one year before the Environmental Protection Agency can promulgate a Federal Implementation Plan. For ozone and particulate matter nonattainment areas, it introduces the consideration of economic feasibility alongside technological achievability for certain control measures and removes the requirement for contingency measures in Extreme Ozone Nonattainment Areas. Furthermore, the Act broadens the definition of "exceptional events" to include actions taken to mitigate wildfire risk and other human activities unlikely to recur, while explicitly excluding routine air stagnation. Crucially, it protects states from federal sanctions or fees for non-attainment if they can demonstrate that the failure was due to emissions beyond their control, such as those from outside the nonattainment area, exceptional events, or certain mobile sources. Finally, the bill revises the composition of the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and mandates that it assess potential adverse public health, welfare, social, economic, or energy effects of various attainment strategies before NAAQS are established or revised.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 116-842
CLEAR Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-7178
CLEAR Act of 2022

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-6562
CLEAR Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 117-2690
CLEAR Act

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-10211
CLEAR Act of 2024

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3789
CLEAR Act of 2023

Bill from Previous Congress

HR 118-3182
CLEAR Act
Jan 16, 2025

Latest Companion Bill Action

S 119-114
Introduced in Senate
Jun 27, 2025
Introduced in House
Jun 27, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.
Jun 27, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Dec 10, 2025
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Dec 10, 2025
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 14 - 10.
Jan 21, 2026
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 23.
Jan 21, 2026
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 116-842
    CLEAR Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-7178
    CLEAR Act of 2022


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-6562
    CLEAR Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 117-2690
    CLEAR Act


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-10211
    CLEAR Act of 2024


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3789
    CLEAR Act of 2023


  • Bill from Previous Congress

    HR 118-3182
    CLEAR Act


  • January 16, 2025

    Latest Companion Bill Action

    S 119-114
    Introduced in Senate


  • June 27, 2025
    Introduced in House


  • June 27, 2025
    Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.


  • June 27, 2025
    Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.


  • December 10, 2025
    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held


  • December 10, 2025
    Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 14 - 10.


  • January 21, 2026
    Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 27 - 23.


  • January 21, 2026
    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Earl L. "Buddy" Carter

Republican Representative

Georgia

Cosponsors (8)
Rick W. Allen (Republican)Dan Newhouse (Republican)H. Morgan Griffith (Republican)August Pfluger (Republican)Jay Obernolte (Republican)Robert E. Latta (Republican)Randy K. Sr. Weber (Republican)Troy Balderson (Republican)

Environment Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce Committee

Environmental Protection

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Administrative law and regulatory proceduresCivil actions and liabilityClimate change and greenhouse gasesCongressional oversightEnvironmental assessment, monitoring, researchEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA)Environmental regulatory proceduresFiresForests, forestry, treesGovernment studies and investigationsLicensing and registrationsNatural disastersState and local government operations