Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Environmental Protection Agency relating to "National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Lead and Copper: Improvements (LCRI)".
Summary
What This Bill Does
H.J.Res.44 is a Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution. It targets the Environmental Protection Agency rule relating to Lead and Copper Rule Improvements for national primary drinking water regulations and provides that the rule shall have no force or effect. The targeted rule strengthens drinking-water requirements for lead service lines, corrosion control, monitoring, public communication, and replacement planning. 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
Water utilities 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. Municipal water departments benefit if disapproval avoids compliance costs tied to lead-service-line replacement and monitoring.
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. Households with lead service lines 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. Children in older housing may lose health protections expected from stronger lead and copper standards.
Key Provisions
- Provides congressional disapproval of the Environmental Protection Agency rule relating to Lead and Copper Rule Improvements for national primary drinking water regulations.
- 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 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements for national primary drinking water regulations, 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 Lead and Copper Rule Improvements for national primary drinking water regulations, causing that rule to have no force or effect.
Policy Domains
Resolution provisions
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Water utilities
- 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
- Households with lead service lines
- Congressional oversight committees
- Program administrators
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
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