A BILL
To preserve rapid Executive action in response to genuine threats while ensuring that extraordinary national security and economic powers automatically sunset unless affirmatively approved by Congress, and for other purposes.
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Emergency and National Security Powers Sunset Act”.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE; POLICY.
(a) Purpose.—The purpose of this Act is to ensure that the President may act rapidly to address unusual and urgent threats, while requiring timely transparency to Congress and affirmatively renewed congressional authorization for the continued use of extraordinary powers.
(b) Policy.—It is the policy of the United States that extraordinary national security and economic measures shall be time-limited by default and may continue only with affirmative approval by Congress.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) EXTRAORDINARY MEASURE.—The term “extraordinary measure” means any action described in section 4(a).
(2) COVERED EMERGENCY DECLARATION.—The term “covered emergency declaration” means any national emergency declared under the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.), or any declaration, determination, or finding that unlocks special statutory authorities based on an emergency, unusual threat, or national security rationale.
(3) COVERED TRADE RESTRICTION.—The term “covered trade restriction” means any tariff, duty, quota, surcharge, embargo, import licensing requirement, export restriction, or other restriction on importation or exportation of goods or services that is imposed, increased, expanded, or maintained pursuant to—
(A) section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. 1862);
(B) sections 301 through 310 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2411 et seq.);
(C) the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), to the extent used to restrict importation or exportation;
(D) the Trading with the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.), to the extent used to restrict importationor exportation;
(E) the Export Control Reform Act of 2018 (50 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.), to the extent used to impose broad, country-wide or sector-wide export restrictions justified by an emergency, national security, or unusual and extraordinary threat rationale; and
(F) any substantially similar successor authority.
ANTI-EVASION BACKSTOP.—The term “covered trade restriction” also includes any restriction described in the preceding sentence imposed under any other provision of law if the primary purpose or a material purpose of the restriction is to address an asserted national security, emergency, or unusual-and- extraordinary threat rationale, or to obtain foreign-policy concessions unrelated to trade, notwithstanding the statutory label or authority invoked.
(4) COVERED MILITARY ESCALATION.—The term “covered military escalation” means the introduction or deployment of United States Armed Forces, capabilities, or operations into a situation where hostilities are clearly imminent or where such deployment materially increases the risk of hostilities, regardless of whether the President characterizes the situation as “hostilities”.
(5) COVERED COVERT ACTION.—The term “covered covert action” has the meaning given in section 503(e) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3093(e)).
(6) APPROPRIATE COMMITTEES OF CONGRESS.—The term “appropriate committees of Congress” means the Committees on Armed Services, Foreign Affairs/Foreign Relations, Ways and Means/Finance, and the Select Committees on Intelligence of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the leadership of each House.
SEC. 4. EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES SUBJECT TO AUTOMATIC SUNSET.
(a) In general.—The following are extraordinary measures subject to section 6:
(1) Any covered emergency declaration.
(2) Any covered trade restriction initiated or materially expanded after the date of enactment of this Act.
(3) Any covered military escalation initiated after the date of enactment of this Act.
(4) Any covered covert action for which the President signs a finding after the date of enactment of this Act.
(b) Nonduplication.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to reduce any reporting obligation under existing law. If multiple reporting laws apply, compliance with each is required.
SEC. 5. RAPID-ACTION AUTHORITY; INITIAL TIME LIMITS.
(a) Initial authorization windows.—An extraordinary measure may be initiated immediately by the President, but shall terminate unless extended under section 6, as follows:
(1) Covered emergency declaration.—30 days after declaration.
(2) Covered trade restriction.—60 days after initiation.
(3) Covered military escalation.—14 days after initiation.
(4) Covered covert action.—30 days after initiation of the covert action.
(b) Urgent defensive actions preserved.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to prevent the President from taking immediate action to repel a sudden attack on the United States, its territories or possessions, or United States Armed Forces, or to conduct time-limited operations necessary to protect or evacuate United States persons from imminent harm. Any such action remains subject to the reporting and sunset requirements of this Act unless Congress affirmatively approves continuation under section 6.
SEC. 6. AFFIRMATIVE CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL REQUIRED FOR EXTENSION.
(a) Automatic termination unless approved.—An extraordinary measure shall terminate upon expiration of the applicable period in section 5(a) unless, before such termination, Congress enacts a joint resolution approving continuation of the measure. No funds appropriated or otherwise made available may be obligated or expended to implement, administer, or enforce an extraordinary measure after the applicable sunset date absent enactment of a joint resolution approving continuation under this section.
(b) Scope of approval.—A joint resolution under subsection (a) shall:
(1) specify the authority being approved;
(2) specify the approved duration, not to exceed 90 days for any single approval period; and
(3) specify any limits or conditions Congress chooses to impose, including geographic, target, spending, or reporting limits.
(c) Renewals.—Congress may enact additional joint resolutions for additional periods, each subject to subsection (b)(2).
(d) Form of joint resolution.—A joint resolution under this section is a joint resolution “to approve the continuation of an extraordinary measure” and shall be considered under section 8.
SEC. 7. REQUIRED NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY.
(a) 48-hour notification.—Not later than 48 hours after initiating an extraordinary measure, the President shall transmit to Congress a written notice describing:
(1) the legal authorities relied upon;
(2) the specific threat prompting the action;
(3) objectives and intended end state;
(4) expected duration absent congressional approval;
(5) estimated costs and significant economic, diplomatic, and escalation risks.
(b) Unclassified summary; classified annex.—Each notice and each update under subsection (c) shall include an unclassified summary, and may include a classified annex as necessary.
(c) Updates.—While an extraordinary measure remains in effect, the President shall provide updates very 14 days (covered military escalation) or every 30 days (other measures), describing progress, continued necessity, and any material changes in scope, cost, or risk.
SEC. 8. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF CERTAIN JOINT RESOLUTIONS.
(a) Covered joint resolutions.—This section applies to—
(1) a joint resolution described in section 6(d) (approval of continuation); and
(2) a joint resolution to terminate an extraordinary measure earlier than its applicable sunset date.
(b) Introduction; referral.—A joint resolution covered by this section may be introduced in either House at any time beginning on the date the extraordinary measure is initiated. Upon introduction, the joint resolution shall be referred to the committee or committees of jurisdiction.
(c) Discharge.—If a committee to which a joint resolution is referred has not reported the joint resolution by the end of the 7th calendar day after referral, that committee shall be discharged from further consideration of the joint resolution, and the joint resolution shall be placed on the appropriate calendar.
(d) Senate motion to proceed.—In the Senate, a motion to proceed to the consideration of a joint resolution covered by this section shall be privileged and not debatable. All points of order against the motion to proceed are waived.
(e) Debate limits.—In the Senate, debate on a joint resolution covered by this section, and all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than 10 hours, equally divided between the majority leader and the minority leader or their designees.
(f) Amendments.—In the Senate, no amendment to a joint resolution covered by this section shall be in order, nor shall it be in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution is agreed to or disagreed to.
(g) Vote required; no procedural cliff.—Failure of either House to act on a joint resolution does not extend any extraordinary measure beyond its sunset date. Nothing in this section may be construed to permit an extraordinary measure to continue in effect after the applicable sunset date absent enactment of a joint resolution approving continuation under section 6.
(h) House procedures.—In the House of Representatives, a joint resolution covered by this section shall be considered under procedures determined by the Committee on Rules so as to provide for prompt consideration.
(i) Rulemaking.—This section is enacted by Congress as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives and the Senate and shall be considered as part of the rules of each House.
SEC. 9. JUDICIAL REVIEW; STANDING
(a) Cause of action.—The House of Representatives or the Senate, acting through authorized counsel, may bring a civil action for declaratory and injunctive relief to enforce this Act.
(b) Expedited consideration.—The court shall expedite proceedings under this section.
SEC. 10. SEVERABILITY.
If any provision of this Act, or the application of any provision to any person or circumstance, is held invalid, the remainder of this Act, and the application of the remaining provisions, shall not be affected.
SEC. 11. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act shall take effect on the date of enactment and shall apply to extraordinary measures initiated after the date of enactment.
Respectfully submitted,
Slawomir Lisznianski
Private citizen
Polson, Montana
January 18, 2026