Limiting Emergency Powers Act of 2023

H.R. 121, the Limiting Emergency Powers Act of 2023, would change how national emergencies are declared and maintained by requiring the President to obtain congressional approval for them to remain in effect. Under this bill, any new emergency declaration would automatically expire after 30 days unless Congress passes a joint resolution to extend it. Additionally, the bill mandates that all existing emergency declarations expire after two years unless the President requests a renewal and receives explicit approval from Congress.

For citizens, this legislation is designed to increase legislative oversight and prevent long-standing emergency declarations from continuing indefinitely without a public vote by elected representatives. By shifting the authority to sustain an emergency from the executive branch to Congress, the bill aims to ensure that the expanded federal powers often triggered during emergencies are subject to regular review and debate.