Congressional Review Act

Senate GOP’s Budget Bill: Dems’ Chance to Block Trump, or Will They Fail?

Senate Republicans, by overriding the Senate parliamentarian to revoke a California vehicle emissions waiver, inadvertently created a procedural vulnerability. This action, using the Congressional Review Act (CRA), allows Democrats to potentially stall or even block the Senate’s agenda through numerous disapproval resolutions targeting executive branch actions. Democrats could utilize this to disrupt Senate proceedings significantly, potentially delaying or preventing key legislation like the Republican tax bill. While Democrats are aware of this tactic, it remains uncertain whether they will fully exploit this newly created opening.

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Democrats Get New Tool to Block Legislation, But Will They Use It?

The Senate disregarded its parliamentarian’s ruling to overturn EPA waivers allowing California to set stricter vehicle emission standards, using the Congressional Review Act (CRA). This action, passed by a 51-44 vote, effectively nullifies the waivers and sets a precedent expanding the CRA’s reach to virtually any executive branch action. Democrats could exploit this by introducing numerous CRA resolutions, forcing lengthy debates and potentially paralyzing the Senate to block legislation like the upcoming Trump tax bill. This strategy allows Democrats to leverage procedural maneuvering for political gain and potentially prevent harmful policy changes.

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