I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1226 
To sunset new Federal regulatory rules after 5 years, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 12, 2025 
Mr. STUTZMAN (for himself, Mr. WEBER of Texas, and Mr. NORMAN) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on the 
Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in 
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To sunset new Federal regulatory rules after 5 years, and 
for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Restoring Checks and 
Balances Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SUNSET OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS AFTER 5 
YEARS. 
(a) SUNSET.—Any covered rule issued by an agency 
after the date of the enactment of this Act shall sunset 
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on the date that is five years after the effective date of 
such covered rule, unless specifically reauthorized by an 
Act of Congress. 
(b) AFTER SUNSET.—An agency may not reissue, en-
force, revise, or take other regulatory action related to a 
covered rule that has sunset under subsection (a). 
(c) OVERSIGHT BY OMB AND HEADS OF AGEN-
CIES.—The Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget or the head of the relevant agency may oversee 
the sunset of covered rules under subsection (a). 
SEC. 3. SUBMISSION OF REQUEST FOR REAUTHORIZATION 
TO CONGRESS. 
(a) REQUEST FOR REAUTHORIZATION.—If the head 
of an agency that issues covered rules wants to request 
a reauthorization for such rules, such head shall, not later 
than the December 1 that is one year before the date on 
which the covered rule is scheduled to sunset, submit to 
Congress and any appropriate committee of Congress a 
report containing such request that includes— 
(1) a justification for the reauthorization of 
each covered rule; 
(2) any related covered rules; and 
(3) any recommendation or request made by the 
chair or ranking member of an appropriate com-
mittee of Congress. 
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(b) SINGLE SUBMISSION.—The head of an agency 
submitting a request for reauthorization under subsection 
(a) shall make every effort to bundle multiple requests for 
reauthorization in a single submission. 
(c) PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF REPORTS.—Any report 
submitted by the head of an agency under subsection (a) 
shall be published on the public website of the agency. 
SEC. 4. RELATIONSHIP TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCE-
DURE. 
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to supersede 
the provisions of chapter 5, 6, or 7 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the 
meaning given that term in section 551 of title 5, 
United States Code. 
(2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Office of In-
formation and Regulatory Affairs in the Office of 
Management and Budget. 
(3) COVERED RULE.—The term ‘‘covered rule’’ 
has the meaning given the term ‘‘rule’’ in section 
551 of title 5, United States Code, but does not in-
clude a rule— 
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(A) issued in accordance with the formal 
rulemaking provisions of sections 556 and 557 
of title 5, United States Code; 
(B) issued with respect to a military or 
foreign affairs function of the United States; 
(C) that the Administrator certifies in 
writing is necessary for the enforcement of Fed-
eral criminal laws; 
(D) that is limited to agency organization, 
management, or personnel matters; or 
(E) that is necessary due to an imminent 
threat to human health or safety or any other 
emergency. 
(4) SUNSET.—The term ‘‘sunset’’ means to 
have no force or effect. 
Æ 
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