US Federal House Bill HJR27

US Federal 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/25
• Refer: 1/22/25

Caption

Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Trichloroethylene (TCE); Regulation Under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)".

Summary

H.J. Res. 27 is a congressional disapproval resolution under the Congressional Review Act that would nullify the Environmental Protection Agency’s final rule on trichloroethylene (TCE) under the Toxic Substances Control Act. If enacted, the resolution would prevent the EPA rule published at 89 Fed. Reg. 102568 (Dec. 17, 2024) from taking effect and would block its regulatory requirements from being implemented. The measure does not create a new regulatory program; instead, it uses Congress’s disapproval authority to overturn an existing federal environmental and chemical-safety rule. Its practical effect would be to preserve the status quo for TCE regulation at the federal level and remove the EPA’s final TSCA-based restrictions or compliance obligations associated with that rule.

Impact

The bill would have no direct effect on state statutes, but it would eliminate the federal EPA rule governing TCE under TSCA, thereby affecting federal chemical regulation, manufacturers, processors, users, and potentially workers and communities exposed to TCE. By declaring the rule to have no force or effect, the resolution would prevent the agency from enforcing the specific final rule and could leave regulation of TCE to other existing federal authorities or state-level actions where applicable.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be a Republican-led effort to overturn an EPA environmental rule, with the sponsors seeking to block the agency’s TCE regulation. No committee debate or recorded votes are provided, so there is no documented bipartisan support or opposition in the available materials. The overall sentiment in the filing is plainly oppositional to the EPA rule and supportive of congressional intervention.

Contention

The central point of contention is the EPA’s authority and policy judgment in regulating trichloroethylene under TSCA. Supporters of the resolution likely view the rule as overly burdensome or unnecessary, while opponents would likely argue that the rule is needed to protect public health from a hazardous chemical. Because no hearing transcript or vote record is included, the specific arguments of each side are not documented here, but the dispute is between congressional sponsors seeking disapproval and the EPA’s regulatory approach.