S. 4485Senate118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2024

A bill to amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for en bloc consideration in resolutions of disapproval for "midnight rules", and for other purposes.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 5:09 PM UTC

The Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2024 changes the way Congress can reject regulations issued in the final year of a president’s term, known as “midnight rules.” It adds a new clause that lets a joint resolution of disapproval include multiple such rules at once, and it updates the wording of the resolution’s resolving clause to reflect this en‑bloc approach. The bill affects any federal agency rules classified as midnight rules and the congressional process for disapproving them.

Key Provisions

Amends 5 U.S.C. §801(d) to add paragraph (4), allowing a joint resolution of disapproval to contain one or more midnight rules whose reports were submitted in the president’s final year.
Modifies 5 U.S.C. §802(a) by inserting clarifying language and adding a new subsection that specifies the wording of the resolving clause for joint resolutions that disapprove multiple midnight rules.

Legislative Activity

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SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

June 5, 2024

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

June 5, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee

June 5, 2024

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued June 5, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 4485

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 5, 2024

Mr. Johnson (for himself, Mr. Lee, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Braun, Ms. Lummis, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Schmitt, and Mr. Scott of Florida) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To amend chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, to provide for en bloc consideration in resolutions of disapproval for midnight rules, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Midnight Rules Relief Act of 2024.

En bloc consideration of resolutions of disapproval pertaining to midnight rules

(a)

In general

Section 801(d) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(4)

In applying section 802 to rules described under paragraph (1), a joint resolution of disapproval may contain one or more such rules if the report under subsection (a)(1)(A) for each such rule was submitted during the final year of a President’s term.

(b)

Text of resolving clause

Section 802(a) of title 5, United States Code, is amended—

(1)

by inserting (1) In general.— after (a);

(2)

by inserting after resolving clause of which is the following: (except as otherwise provided in this subsection); and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(2)

Joint resolutions under section 801(d)(4)

In the case of a joint resolution under section 801(d)(4), the matter after the resolving clause of such resolution shall be as follows: That Congress disapproves the following rules: the rule submitted by the __ relating to __; and the rule submitted by the __ relating to __. Such rules shall have no force or effect. (The blank spaces being appropriately filled in and additional clauses describing additional rules to be included as necessary).