HJRES 27119th CongressIn Committee

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)".

Introduced: Jan 22, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

H.J. Res. 27 is a joint resolution using the Congressional Review Act to disapprove a specific Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule. The rule in question is EPA’s final regulation on Trichloroethylene (TCE) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), published in the Federal Register on December 17, 2024. If Congress passes and (as applicable) the President signs this joint resolution, the rule would have no force or effect, effectively blocking EPA’s TSCA regulation of TCE. The bill was introduced in the House on January 22, 2025, by Rep. Harshbarger with Rep. Miller-Meeks as a co-sponsor and was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. In short, the bill seeks to nullify EPA’s TCE TSCA regulation through a congressional disapproval mechanism, preventing that regulatory action from taking effect.

Key Points

1Provides for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code (the Congressional Review Act) of EPA’s final rule on Trichloroethylene (TCE) regulation under TSCA.
2Targets the specific rule published December 17, 2024 (Federal Register: 89 Fed. Reg. 102568); disapproval would render that rule void.
3If enacted, the rule would have no force or effect; EPA could not enforce or rely on that particular TSCA regulation for TCE.
4The measure is a joint resolution of disapproval, requiring passage by both Houses of Congress and signature by the President (or an override of a presidential veto) to take effect.
5Sponsor information: Representatives Harshbarger (primary) and Miller-Meeks (co-sponsor); referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

Impact Areas

Primary: Industries and workers handling or using Trichloroethylene (TCE), including chemical manufacturers and users who would have been affected by EPA’s TSCA regulation; communities and workers potentially exposed to TCE.Secondary: Public health and environmental advocacy groups, state and local regulators who rely on federal TSCA rules for protective standards; stakeholders in environmental compliance and risk management.Additional impacts: The disapproval could alter the regulatory landscape for TCE by removing new federal protections or restrictions that EPA proposed under TSCA, potentially affecting ongoing or future state actions and industry practices. It also reinforces Congress’s use of the Congressional Review Act to overturn agency rules, which can influence regulatory certainty and the balance of federal and executive branch regulatory authority.

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