H.R. 6200 – ESSENTIAL Act

AI-Generated Summary

Updated December 4, 2025 at 1:21 PM UTC

The ESSENTIAL Act directs the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Transportation to eliminate any rules that encourage or require vehicles to use engine idle start‑stop technology. The agencies must act within one year, unless removing a rule would raise the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. The bill also requires the agencies to report to Congress on their progress. It primarily affects vehicle manufacturers and owners of cars and trucks.

Key Provisions

Within one year, the EPA Administrator and the DOT Secretary must repeal any EPA or DOT actions that promote, incentivize, or require engine idle start‑stop technology in vehicles.
After repeal, the agencies may not issue new rules that are similar to the ones removed.
An exception allows the agencies to keep a rule if its repeal would increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The agencies must submit an initial joint report to Congress within 180 days and a final joint report within one year describing how they carried out the repeal.
The bill defines engine idle start‑stop technology as a system that automatically shuts off the engine when the vehicle stops and restarts it when the driver accelerates or releases the brake.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

November 20, 2025

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

November 20, 2025

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Energy and Commerce Committee

November 20, 2025

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 6200 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Doug LaMalfaR-CA-1 · Nov 21, 2025

Mr. Speaker, this week, I introduced a bill called the ESSENTIAL Act, H.R. 6200, that removes the requirement to have those annoying devices in your car that shuts the engine off every time you come…

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued November 20, 2025

I

119th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 6200

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 20, 2025

Mr. LaMalfa (for himself and Mr. Fulcher) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Transportation to repeal or rescind certain actions, initiatives, policies, and regulations related to engine idle start-stop technology, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Eliminating Start-Stop Engine Nuisance Technologies that Impair Automobile Life Act or the ESSENTIAL Act.

2.

Repeal of certain actions, initiatives, policies, and regulations related to engine idle start-stop technology

(a)

In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of law (except subsection (b)), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Transportation—

(1)

shall, not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, repeal or rescind any action, initiative, policy, or regulation of the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Transportation that is specifically designed to encourage, incentivize, promote, or require manufacturers of vehicles (including cars and trucks) to install or equip any such vehicle with engine idle start-stop technology; and

(2)

may not issue, take, or enforce any action, initiative, policy, or regulation that is similar to an action, initiative, policy, or regulation that is repealed or rescinded under paragraph (1).

(b)

Exception

Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Transportation may not repeal or rescind any action, initiative, policy, or regulation if, at the determination of the Administrator or the Secretary, the repeal or rescission would result in increased risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

(c)

Reports

(1)

Initial report

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Transportation shall jointly submit to Congress a report that outlines how the Administrator and the Secretary are carrying out subsection (a)(1).

(2)

Final report

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this section, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Secretary of Transportation shall jointly submit to Congress a report that outlines how the Administrator and the Secretary carried out subsection (a)(1).

(d)

Engine idle start-Stop technology defined

In this section, the term engine idle start-stop technology means any technology which enables a vehicle to automatically turn off the engine when the vehicle comes to a rest and restarts the engine when the driver applies pressure to the accelerator or releases the brake.