119-HRES-1174 Journalist Public Summary
A House procedural rule that sets the terms for debating three Clean Air Act bills and a tax resolution; it passed the House 214–212 on April 15, 2026, enabling floor votes but not changing policy by itself.
Headline Summary
The House adopted a procedural rule to fast-track debate and votes on three Clean Air Act bills and a resolution on tax policies for working families; the rule itself doesn’t change law, it just sets the ground rules.
What It Does
This resolution (H. Res. 1174) sets the terms for how the House will consider four measures: three bills amending parts of the Clean Air Act (H.R. 6387, H.R. 6398, H.R. 6409) and one resolution on tax policies for working families (H. Res. 1156). Each item is taken up under a “closed rule,” meaning no floor amendments, with one hour of debate and one motion to recommit for each bill. It waives certain procedural objections and deems the texts read to speed proceedings.
| Measure | Topic/Focus | Type |
|---|---|---|
| H.R. 6387 | How EPA handles air-quality data affected by “exceptional events” (like wildfire smoke) and actions to mitigate wildfire risk | Bill amending Clean Air Act |
| H.R. 6398 | EPA’s role in reviewing proposed legislation related to the Clean Air Act | Bill amending Clean Air Act |
| H.R. 6409 | Standards for pollution that originates outside the United States but affects U.S. air quality | Bill amending Clean Air Act |
| H. Res. 1156 | Expresses support for tax policies that support working families | Nonbinding House resolution |
Who’s For It
- House majority leadership and the House Rules Committee majority, which brought the rule to the floor.
- Backers of the three underlying Clean Air Act bills, who want structured, time-limited debate and swift votes.
- Supporters frame this as keeping the schedule on track and ensuring clear up-or-down votes without last‑minute floor amendments.
Who’s Against It
- Most of the House minority, who typically oppose closed rules because they limit chances to amend bills on the floor.
- Members skeptical of the underlying Clean Air Act changes, who argue the House should allow more open debate and potential changes before final votes.
What’s Next
Because the rule passed, the House can now hold debate and votes on H.R. 6387, H.R. 6398, H.R. 6409, and H. Res. 1156 under the specified terms. If the three bills pass the House, they move to the Senate; the tax resolution is a statement of House opinion and does not go to the President. The rule itself does not proceed to the Senate.
Bottom line: this vote was about process. The real policy decisions will come on the subsequent votes for each listed measure.
Discussion