Summary — H.J. Res. 42 / Public Law 119‑8 (2025)

Title / Short description

Joint resolution disapproving, under the Congressional Review Act (CRA; chapter 8 of title 5, U.S. Code), the Department of Energy (DOE) rule titled “Energy Conservation Program for Appliance Standards: Certification Requirements, Labeling Requirements, and Enforcement Provisions for Certain Consumer Products and Commercial Equipment” (89 Fed. Reg. 81994; Oct. 9, 2024). The resolution provides that the rule “shall have no force or effect.”

Purpose / Intent

To nullify and prevent implementation of the DOE rule described above using the CRA’s expedited congressional disapproval process. The resolution removes the specific DOE regulatory changes related to certification, labeling, and enforcement for certain consumer and commercial products from effect at the federal level.

Key provisions / What the law does

• Explicitly disapproves the DOE rule published at 89 Fed. Reg. 81994 (Oct. 9, 2024).
• States that the disapproved rule “shall have no force or effect.”
• As a CRA disapproval, it also triggers the CRA bar on reissuing the rule in “substantially the same form” unless Congress later authorizes it by law (5 U.S.C. § 801).

Note: The joint resolution does not itself replace the DOE rule with alternative regulatory language; it removes the published rule from effect.

Who or what is affected

• Department of Energy: prevented from implementing and enforcing the specific October 9, 2024 rule.
• Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and retailers of covered consumer products and commercial equipment: regulatory requirements for certification, labeling, and enforcement under that DOE rule would not apply.
• Testing labs and certification bodies involved in DOE compliance programs.
• State agencies and programs that interact with federal appliance/efficiency rules may be affected by the reversion to the pre‑rule regulatory baseline.
• Consumers and energy‑efficiency stakeholders to the extent the DOE rule would have changed labeling, enforcement, or certification practices.

Legislative history / Timeline (select)

• Introduced in House: Feb 12, 2025 (sponsored by Rep. Andrew S. Clyde).
• House passage: Mar 5, 2025 — Passed 222–203 (Roll No. 59).
• Received in Senate/read twice: Mar 6, 2025.
• Senate consideration and passage: Apr 30, 2025 — Passed 52–46 (Record Vote No. 223).
• Presented to President: May 6, 2025.
• Signed into law / became Public Law No. 119‑8: May 9, 2025.

Sponsors / Related measures

• Primary sponsor: Rep. Andrew S. Clyde.
• Cosponsors include Mike Haridopolos, Claudia Tenney, Derek Schmidt, Doug LaMalfa, Laurel M. Lee, Mary E. Miller.
• Related/companion measures: S.J. Res. 50 (Senate companion); H. Res. 177 (rule for House consideration).

Practical implications & next steps

• Immediate legal effect: the specific DOE rule is invalidated and may not be enforced.
• DOE may consider issuing a different rule or revising the approach, but the CRA restricts reissuing the same or substantially similar rule unless Congress specifically authorizes it.
• Regulated entities will rely on the regulatory status that existed prior to the October 9, 2024 rule until DOE promulgates a new rule or Congress acts. Potential legal and compliance uncertainty could persist while DOE determines next steps.