This bill significantly amends the Clean Air Act by establishing a new process for congressional approval of certain executive branch exemptions. It introduces a new section requiring that neither the President nor any federal official can use or extend a "covered exemption" without the enactment of a joint resolution by Congress. These covered exemptions include those related to executive branch emissions, federal agency fleet requirements, and the phase-out of certain substances. To initiate an exemption, the President must transmit a special message to both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This message must detail the proposed exemption, its duration, the reasons for its use, and its estimated effects. The Comptroller General is tasked with reviewing this special message and informing Congress whether the proposed exemption aligns with existing statutory authority. For an exemption to take effect, Congress must pass a joint resolution of approval. The bill outlines specific, expedited procedures for congressional consideration, including committee referral, debate limits, and voting requirements in both chambers. Notably, a joint resolution of approval requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members present and voting in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Furthermore, the bill includes an enforcement mechanism, allowing civil actions against any person, including federal officials, who uses a covered exemption without the required joint resolution. Beyond establishing this approval process, the legislation also repeals a specific exemption found in Section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act. This repealed exemption previously allowed for deviations from compliance schedules for hazardous air pollutants, thereby strengthening environmental protection measures.
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Timeline
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
No Passes for Polluters Act of 2026
USA119th CongressS-4404| Senate
| Updated: 4/27/2026
This bill significantly amends the Clean Air Act by establishing a new process for congressional approval of certain executive branch exemptions. It introduces a new section requiring that neither the President nor any federal official can use or extend a "covered exemption" without the enactment of a joint resolution by Congress. These covered exemptions include those related to executive branch emissions, federal agency fleet requirements, and the phase-out of certain substances. To initiate an exemption, the President must transmit a special message to both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This message must detail the proposed exemption, its duration, the reasons for its use, and its estimated effects. The Comptroller General is tasked with reviewing this special message and informing Congress whether the proposed exemption aligns with existing statutory authority. For an exemption to take effect, Congress must pass a joint resolution of approval. The bill outlines specific, expedited procedures for congressional consideration, including committee referral, debate limits, and voting requirements in both chambers. Notably, a joint resolution of approval requires an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members present and voting in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Furthermore, the bill includes an enforcement mechanism, allowing civil actions against any person, including federal officials, who uses a covered exemption without the required joint resolution. Beyond establishing this approval process, the legislation also repeals a specific exemption found in Section 112(i)(4) of the Clean Air Act. This repealed exemption previously allowed for deviations from compliance schedules for hazardous air pollutants, thereby strengthening environmental protection measures.