Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons: Management of Certain Hydrofluorocarbons and Substitutes Under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act of 2020".
Summary
What This Bill Does
H.J.Res.38 is a Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution. It targets the Environmental Protection Agency rule relating to Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons management under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act and provides that the rule shall have no force or effect. The targeted rule manages certain hydrofluorocarbons and substitutes under the federal HFC phasedown program. The practical result is not a new replacement rule; it is a congressional veto of the agency action, which can also restrict the agency from issuing a substantially similar rule without new statutory authority.
Who Benefits and How
HFC distributors benefit because disapproval would remove or prevent the regulatory obligations created by the rule. Members of Congress opposing the rule benefit because the CRA provides a direct vehicle to nullify the agency action. Regulated parties benefit from clearer congressional opposition to the rule and less near-term implementation risk. Refrigeration service companies benefit if disapproval avoids new HFC management and substitute-handling duties.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Environmental Protection Agency rulemaking staff must respond to congressional disapproval and may be constrained from issuing a substantially similar rule. Climate policy advocates bear the burden if protections, standards, or program changes in the rule are blocked. Congressional oversight committees must handle the policy consequences of removing the rule without passing a replacement. EPA climate program staff may lose a rule intended to reduce high-global-warming-potential refrigerant emissions.
Key Provisions
- Provides congressional disapproval of the Environmental Protection Agency rule relating to Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons management under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act.
- Blocks the rule by declaring that it shall have no force or effect.
- Uses the Congressional Review Act rather than ordinary notice-and-comment rulemaking.
- Restricts the agency's ability to issue a substantially similar rule unless Congress authorizes it.
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Uses the Congressional Review Act to disapprove the Environmental Protection Agency rule relating to Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons management under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, causing that rule to have no force or effect.
Key Policy Areas
Administrative Law, Congressional Review Act
Primary Purpose
Uses the Congressional Review Act to disapprove the Environmental Protection Agency rule relating to Phasedown of Hydrofluorocarbons management under the American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, causing that rule to have no force or effect.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- HFC distributors
- Members of Congress opposing the rule
- Regulated parties
- Congressional oversight committees
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Environmental Protection Agency rulemaking staff
- Climate policy advocates
- Congressional oversight committees
- Program administrators
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
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