The End EPA Abuse Act of 2026 amends the Clean Air Act to place specific limits on the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to issue new regulations. It directly affects the EPA Administrator by prohibiting the creation of rules that restrict the sale or use of internal combustion engine vehicles, force power plants to switch fuel sources, or reduce the reliability of the electric grid. Additionally, the bill forbids regulations requiring technologies that are commercially unavailable, too expensive without subsidies, or technically infeasible due to geographic or infrastructure limitations. Finally, it bars the agency from issuing rules that significantly expand its authority beyond what Congress originally intended.
The Connected Vehicle Security Act of 2026 restricts the importation, sale, and use of connected vehicles and related technology from China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea to protect national security. Starting in 2027, the bill generally bans these vehicles if they originate from or are controlled by these countries, with separate restrictions on software and hardware taking effect in 2030. The Secretary of Commerce is authorized to issue specific exemptions for items that do not pose a security risk and must publish a list of approved products. The law also requires companies to submit declarations confirming their vehicles comply with the rules and imposes heavy fines for violations.
This bill amends the FAST Act to adjust funding limits for federal permitting improvement programs. It directly affects agencies and projects that rely on these specific funding allocations under the existing law. The key provision replaces a $200 million funding cap with a $50 million cap in two sections of the FAST Act. These changes take effect on January 1, 2027, or upon enactment, whichever occurs later.
HR 376, the Historic Roadways Protection Act, prohibits the use of federal funds to finalize or implement specific travel management plans for certain areas in Utah during an ongoing legal period. The bill directly affects the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), blocking funding for 10 designated travel management areas (like the Henry Mountains and San Rafael Swell) and four specific plans (including the Indian Creek and San Rafael Desert plans) until all related R.S. 2477 legal cases are resolved. The restriction applies only to Utah lands and remains in effect from the bill's enactment until the Secretary of the Interior certifies the resolution of all 22 named legal cases. This is a funding prohibition, not a policy change to road access.
This bill exempts large cruise ships (with 800+ passenger berths) from certain U.S. maritime regulations when transporting passengers between U.S. ports, either directly or via foreign ports. Specifically, it removes requirements under the Passenger Vessel Safety Act (PVSA), the Jones Act, and crew citizenship rules for these vessels. The key provision creates a consistent exemption for qualifying large passenger vessels operating domestic U.S. routes, streamlining compliance for cruise operators. The bill does not change other applicable laws, as clarified in its final rule of construction.
SJRES 46 is a joint resolution seeking congressional disapproval of an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule concerning California's vehicle emission standards. The rule, submitted in 2023, relates to California's pollution control requirements for motor vehicles, including advanced clean trucks, zero-emission airport shuttles, and heavy-duty engine emissions. This resolution would block the rule from taking effect using a specific federal disapproval process under Title 5 of the U.S. Code. If passed, the rule would have no legal force, meaning California's current standards would remain without the EPA's formal approval for these specific provisions.
The Historic Roadways Protection Act (S 90) prohibits the use of federal funds to finalize or implement specific travel management plans for certain public lands in Utah. It directly affects the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), blocking funding for plans in 10 designated areas (like the San Rafael Swell and Nine Mile Canyon) and four specific plans (including Indian Creek and San Rafael Swell). The restriction applies only during the time federal courts resolve 22 ongoing lawsuits (R.S. 2477 cases) about historical road access rights. Funding cannot be used for new plans or implementation of the listed plans until the Secretary of the Interior certifies all cases are resolved. This is a procedural funding restriction, not a change to land management policies.
This bill repeals federal waivers that allow California to set its own vehicle and engine emission standards under the Clean Air Act. It directly affects California's Air Resources Board (CARB), prohibiting the state from adopting or enforcing standards for nonroad engines (like construction equipment, farm vehicles, and locomotives) or new motor vehicles. Key provisions include removing federal authorization for California's vehicle standards (Section 177) and invalidating all existing waivers for state emission rules. The bill would eliminate California's ability to enforce its own emission requirements for these categories, shifting authority entirely to federal standards.
This bill amends the Clean Air Act to prevent states from imposing standards that limit the sale or use of new internal combustion engine vehicles. It adds a new requirement that state standards must not directly or indirectly restrict such vehicles, and it prohibits the EPA from considering pre-2025 state standards as valid under existing waivers. The bill also requires the EPA to revoke certain existing waivers granted between January 2022 and the bill's enactment date if those waivers don't comply with the new standard. This directly affects states with their own vehicle emission rules (like California's ZEV program), limiting their ability to regulate internal combustion engine vehicles through EPA-approved standards.
HR 4500, the HELP Act, exempts certain commercial vehicles transporting livestock, insects, or aquatic animals from federal hours-of-service rules and electronic logging device (ELD) requirements. This directly affects livestock haulers who operate covered vehicles, including when driving empty to pick up or return from deliveries. The bill removes two specific regulatory burdens: the mandatory rest periods under 49 U.S.C. § 311 and ELD tracking under 49 U.S.C. § 31137. It applies only to vehicles defined as "covered livestock hauling vehicles" under the law, which includes all commercial livestock transport for commercial purposes. The exemption aims to provide operational flexibility for this specific segment of the transportation industry.
