H.R. 125 — Limiting Emergency Powers Act of 2025

This section establishes the short title of the Act as the “Limiting Emergency Powers Act of 2025.”

This section limits the duration of a national emergency declared by the President under the National Emergencies Act by requiring congressional approval within 30 days of the declaration, or else the emergency terminates. It revises 50 U.S.C. § 1622(a) to provide that a national emergency ends if Congress does not enact a joint resolution affirming the declaration before the date that is 30 days after the declaration, if Congress enacts a joint resolution terminating the emergency, or if the President issues a proclamation terminating the emergency. This section revises the termination date rules in 50 U.S.C. § 1622(b) to make the emergency end on the earliest of: the 30-day deadline for congressional affirmation, the date specified in a joint resolution terminating the emergency, or the date specified in a presidential proclamation. It also requires that, upon termination, any unobligated amounts reprogrammed or transferred for the emergency be returned and made available for their original appropriated purpose, and any emergency-related construction contracts be terminated unless construction had already commenced. It preserves existing protections for pending actions, completed acts, and matured rights or penalties. This section revises the congressional review procedures in 50 U.S.C. § 1622(c) by requiring a joint resolution to “terminate or affirm” a national emergency, rather than only to terminate it. It also strikes a reference to subsection (b) in the procedural rules. This section establishes a 2-year sunset for a national emergency declared under section 201 that has been affirmed by Congress and not otherwise terminated. Under the revised 50 U.S.C. § 1622(d), such an emergency terminates 2 years after the President transmits the proclamation to Congress, or after Congress affirms a previous renewal, unless the President publishes and transmits an Executive order renewing the emergency and Congress enacts a joint resolution affirming that renewal before the emergency expires. It also applies the 2-year termination rule to national emergencies already in effect on the date of enactment, unless renewed under the amended law.