Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI)
No Passes for Polluters Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The "No Passes for Polluters Act of 2026" aims to amend the Clean Air Act to increase congressional oversight of executive exemptions. It requires the President or federal agencies to obtain approval through a joint resolution before using or extending certain "covered exemptions." The bill establishes a process for transmitting special messages to Congress, including required details and analysis of the proposed exemptions. It also mandates a review process by the Comptroller General to ensure compliance with statutory authority. Additionally, the act repeals a specific exemption related to compliance schedules for hazardous air pollutants.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +8
Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see?
The act mandates that proposed exemptions be published in the Federal Register and transmitted as special messages to Congress.
- Scored +7
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?
The bill subjects executive environmental exemptions to strict congressional oversight and a two-thirds vote requirement.
- Scored +4
Would people in cities be better off under this?
Increased oversight of industrial pollution exemptions can lead to better air quality in densely populated urban areas.
The opposite
- Scored -5
Does this give the federal government more power?
The bill limits executive branch authority by requiring legislative approval for various environmental exemptions.
- Scored -2
Does this leave more decisions to the states?
The bill focuses on increasing congressional oversight rather than transferring authority to individual states.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Congressional Oversight: The bill requires that the President and federal agencies obtain approval via a joint resolution before using or extending "covered exemptions" under sections 118(b), 248(e), and 604(f) of the Clean Air Act (Section 2(a)(1)).
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Enhanced Transparency: The President must transmit a "special message" to Congress that includes the reasons for the exemption, the proposed time period, and an analysis of the estimated effect of the proposed use (Section 2(c)(1)).
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Expert Verification: The Comptroller General is tasked with reviewing special messages to notify Congress whether the proposed use of an exemption is in accordance with existing statutory authority (Section 2(d)(2)).
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Public Access to Information: Special messages must be printed in the Federal Register, ensuring that the details of proposed exemptions are made public (Section 2(d)(4)).
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Accountability Through Litigation: The bill allows individuals to commence civil actions against any person or entity, including the United States or the President, if a covered exemption is used without a required joint resolution (Section 2(g)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Increased Bureaucratic Process: The use of a covered exemption or its extension will not have any force or effect until a joint resolution is enacted, which may add time to the implementation of executive decisions (Section 2(b)(1)).
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Complexity in Legislative Procedures: The bill establishes specific, rigorous procedures for the House and Senate regarding the introduction, debate, and voting on joint resolutions, such as requiring a two-thirds vote for approval in both chambers (Section 2(f)(3) and (4)).
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Repeal of Existing Exemptions: The act strikes an existing exemption regarding the schedule for compliance for hazardous air pollutants (Section 3(a)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people in cities be better off under this? — Increased oversight of industrial pollution exemptions can lead to better air quality in densely populated urban areas. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Enhanced air quality protections tend to disproportionately benefit low-income communities often located near industrial sites.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — The bill subjects executive environmental exemptions to strict congressional oversight and a two-thirds vote requirement.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The act mandates that proposed exemptions be published in the Federal Register and transmitted as special messages to Congress. Does this protect the right to fair treatment by the courts? — The bill expands the ability of individuals to initiate civil actions against the government for unauthorized use of exemptions. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill limits executive branch authority by requiring legislative approval for various environmental exemptions. Does this leave more decisions to the states? — The bill focuses on increasing congressional oversight rather than transferring authority to individual states.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill increases transparency and accountability regarding environmental exemptions that could impact public health and consumer safety.
- Healthcare
- Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill's focus on air pollution control indirectly supports public health by limiting industrial exemptions.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Strengthening environmental protections can mitigate long-term health costs associated with pollution in vulnerable communities.
- 5/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/27/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Ben LujánDemocrat · New Mexico
Adam SchiffDemocrat · California