H.R. 7592

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7592 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7592

To require certain agencies to impose extendable sunset dates on 
certain regulations, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 17, 2026

Mr. Goldman of Texas (for himself, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Pfluger, Mr. Weber 
of Texas, Ms. Van Duyne, Mrs. Luna, Mr. Moore of Alabama, and Mr. 
Harrigan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on 
Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall 
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require certain agencies to impose extendable sunset dates on 
certain regulations, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to 
Unleash American Energy Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS; STATUTORY IDENTIFICATION.

In this Act:
(1) Covered agency.--The term ``covered agency'' means each 
of the following:
(A) The Department of Energy.
(B) Each of the following offices within the 
Department of the Interior:
(i) The Bureau of Land Management.
(ii) The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
(iii) The Bureau of Safety and 
Environmental Enforcement.
(iv) The Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement.
(C) The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
(2) Covered regulation.--The term ``covered regulation'' 
means--
(A) with respect to the Department of Energy, any 
regulation promulgated by the Department of Energy 
under or pursuant to--
(i) the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 (42 
U.S.C. 2011 et seq.);
(ii) the Energy Independence and Security 
Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17001 et seq.);
(iii) the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (42 
U.S.C. 13201 et seq.);
(iv) the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801 et seq.); or
(v) part B of title III of the Energy 
Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6291 et 
seq.);
(B) with respect to the Bureau of Land Management, 
any regulation promulgated by the Bureau of Land 
Management under or pursuant to--
(i) the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801 et seq.);
(ii) the Federal Land Policy and Management 
Act of 1976 (43 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); or
(iii) sections 2319 through 2344 of the 
Revised Statutes (commonly known as the 
``Mining Law of 1872'') (30 U.S.C. 22 et seq.);
(C) with respect to the Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, any regulation promulgated by the Bureau of 
Ocean Energy Management under or pursuant to--
(i) the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 
U.S.C. 15801 et seq.); or
(ii) the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act 
(43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.);
(D) with respect to the Bureau of Safety and 
Environmental Enforcement, any regulation promulgated 
by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement 
under or pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands 
Act (43 U.S.C. 1331 et seq.);
(E) with respect to the Office of Surface Mining 
Reclamation and Enforcement, any regulation promulgated 
by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and 
Enforcement under or pursuant to the Surface Mining 
Control and Reclamation Act of 1977 (30 U.S.C. 1201 et 
seq.); and
(F) with respect to the Federal Energy Regulatory 
Commission, any regulation promulgated by the Federal 
Energy Regulatory Commission under or pursuant to--
(i) the Federal Power Act (16 U.S.C. 791a 
et seq.);
(ii) the Natural Gas Act (15 U.S.C. 717 et 
seq.); or
(iii) the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel 
Use Act of 1978 (42 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.).
(3) Regulation.--The term ``regulation'' means each part, 
subpart, or individual provision of a rule (as defined in 
section 551 of title 5, United States Code) promulgated by a 
covered agency.

SEC. 3. ZERO-BASED REGULATING.

(a) Sunsets Required.--
(1) Existing regulations.--Not later than 90 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the head of each covered agency 
shall amend each covered regulation in effect on that date to 
provide that each covered regulation expires not later than the 
date that is 1 year after the effective date of that amendment.
(2) New regulations.--
(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), for 
each covered regulation promulgated on or after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the head of the 
applicable covered agency shall ensure that the covered 
regulation expires not later than 5 years after the 
effective date of the covered regulation.
(B) Waiver.--The head of a covered agency may 
exempt a covered regulation promulgated by the covered 
agency on or after the date of enactment of this Act 
from the requirement under subparagraph (A) if the head 
of the covered agency--
(i) determines that the covered regulation 
has a net deregulatory effect; and
(ii) notifies the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget of that determination.
(b) Extension of Sunsets.--
(1) In general.--The head of a covered agency may only 
extend an expiration date imposed pursuant to subsection (a)--
(A) to a date that is not more than 5 years after 
the current expiration date; and
(B) if, before the current expiration date and 
except as provided in paragraph (2)(A)--
(i) the head of the covered agency provides 
an opportunity for public comment on the costs 
and benefits of the applicable covered 
regulation, which may include the publication 
of a request for information with respect to 
the covered regulation; and
(ii) following the completion of the 
opportunity for public comment under clause 
(i), the head of the covered agency determines, 
based on the comments provided in that 
opportunity, that an extension of the covered 
regulation is warranted.
(2) Effect of amendments.--
(A) Deregulatory amendments.--If the head of a 
covered agency determines that an amendment to a 
covered regulation of that covered agency has a net 
deregulatory effect, the amendment may extend the 
expiration date for that covered regulation without 
carrying out the requirements of subparagraph (B) of 
paragraph (1), subject to the limitation described in 
subparagraph (A) of that paragraph.
(B) Other amendments.--If the head of a covered 
agency does not make the determination described in 
subparagraph (A) with respect to an amendment to a 
covered regulation of that covered agency, the existing 
expiration date of the covered regulation being amended 
shall apply to that amendment unless the requirements 
described in paragraph (1)(B) have been met.
(3) Continued extensions.--The head of a covered agency may 
extend the expiration date of a covered regulation as many 
times as the head of the agency determines appropriate, subject 
to the condition that each extension meets the requirements of 
this subsection.
(4) Savings provision.--Seeking public comment with respect 
to a covered regulation under paragraph (1)(B)(i), including 
through a request for information, shall not automatically 
extend the applicable expiration date of the covered 
regulation.
(c) Effect of Sunset.--If the expiration date of a covered 
regulation is not extended in accordance with subsection (b)--
(1) the covered regulation shall cease to have any effect 
as of that expiration date;
(2) the applicable covered agency shall not enforce the 
covered regulation on or after that expiration date; and
(3) as soon as practicable after that expiration date, the 
head of the applicable covered agency shall remove the covered 
regulation from the Code of Federal Regulations.

SEC. 4. SEVERABILITY.

If any provision of this Act or the application of such provision 
to any person or circumstance is held to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of this Act, and the application of the provision to any 
other person or circumstance, shall not be affected.

SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.

(a) Savings Provisions.--Nothing in this Act impairs or otherwise 
affects the authority granted by law to an executive department or 
agency, or the head of an executive department or agency.
(b) No Rights or Benefits.--Nothing in this Act creates any right 
or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, 
by any party against the United States, the departments, agencies, or 
entities of the United States, the officers, employees, or agents of 
the United States, or any other person.
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