S 837119th CongressIn Committee

Defending American Jobs and Affordable Energy Act of 2025

Introduced: Mar 4, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Defending American Jobs and Affordable Energy Act of 2025 is a bill that would nullify four executive orders issued on January 20, 2025, by prohibiting federal funds from being used to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out those orders. The four targeted executive orders relate to promoting traditional energy development, limiting international environmental commitments, declaring a national energy emergency, and pausing offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf. The bill also includes a savings provision saying nothing in the act should impair presidential authority. In practical terms, if enacted, the bill would curtail the current administration’s energy and environmental policy changes by blocking funding and removing their force, potentially preserving a policy posture more favorable to fossil fuel development and offshore wind restrictions. The bill has been introduced in the Senate by a bipartisan group of sponsors and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. As introduced, it does not become law unless both chambers pass it and the President signs it.

Key Points

1Repeals four specific executive orders issued January 20, 2025:
2- Unleashing American Energy
3- Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements
4- Declaring a National Energy Emergency
5- Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of Federal Leasing/Permitting for Wind Projects
6Prohibits use of any federal funds to implement, administer, enforce, or carry out those executive orders starting from enactment.
7Effective date: upon enactment of this Act.
8Savings provision: nothing in the Act should impair any authority granted to the President.
9Legislative status: Introduced in the Senate (S. 837), referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources; sponsor list includes multiple Democratic senators.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Federal energy policy and programs (Departments of Interior, Energy, and related agencies)- Energy industry workers and companies, especially fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) and those involved in offshore activities- Offshore wind developers and the broader renewable energy sectorSecondary group/area affected- Environmental and climate policy interests and advocacy groups (potentially favorable to fossil-fuel–friendly approaches)- States and local governments involved in energy development, leasing, and permitting on federal lands and waters- Consumers and energy markets may see shifts in energy pricing and reliability considerations tied to policy directionAdditional impacts- International environmental policy: potential rollback or blocking of moves toward international environmental agreements as directed by the repealed orders- Federal budgeting and funding decisions: agencies would be barred from using funds to implement the four EOs, limiting administrative actions tied to those orders- Legal/administrative clarity: creates a statutory constraint on executive actions that might have otherwise altered energy or environmental policy; interplay with existing statutes and Presidential authority remains, as noted by the savings clause- Political and policy landscape: signals a legislative attempt to constrain the current administration’s energy and climate agenda, potentially influencing investors, industry planning, and state-federal relations

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