S. 1912: ARTICLE ONE Act

This bill terminates a presidential declaration of a national emergency after 30 days if Congress does not pass a joint resolution approving the declaration. Currently, such a declaration may continue until Congress passes a joint resolution disapproving the declaration.

The bill requires the President to transmit to Congress, with any proclamation declaring a national emergency or executive order specifying emergency powers or authorities or renewing a national emergency, a written report that includes

• a description of the circumstances necessitating the declaration, renewal, or use of a new emergency authority specified in the executive order;
• the estimated duration of the emergency, or a statement that the duration cannot reasonably be estimated;
• a summary of the actions the President or other officers intend to take and the statutory authorities they expect to rely on in addressing the emergency; and
• in the case of a renewal of the emergency, a summary of the actions the President or other officers have taken in the preceding one-year period to address the emergency.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.