Overview

Title

To nullify Executive Order 14072 and prohibit the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior from implementing, administering, or enforcing such Executive Order or any substantially similar executive order.

ELI5 AI

H.R. 8865 is a bill that wants to cancel a rule made by the government about taking care of forests and says that two important people in charge of helping with forests can't follow that rule or make similar ones anymore.

Summary AI

H.R. 8865 aims to cancel Executive Order 14072 and prevents the U.S. Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior from executing or enforcing this order or any similar orders. It also prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture from finalizing certain environmental plans or actions outlined in a Forest Service notice pertaining to old-growth forest conditions. The bill, introduced by Mr. LaMalfa and others, was referred to multiple House committees for further discussion.

Published

2024-06-27
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Introduced in House
Date: 2024-06-27
Package ID: BILLS-118hr8865ih

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
1
Words:
402
Pages:
2
Sentences:
7

Language

Nouns: 122
Verbs: 34
Adjectives: 18
Adverbs: 6
Numbers: 23
Entities: 31

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.48
Average Sentence Length:
57.43
Token Entropy:
4.57
Readability (ARI):
31.82

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed bill, H.R. 8865, seeks to nullify Executive Order 14072, effectively rendering it null and void. This means that the order would have no legal power or enforceability. Furthermore, the bill prohibits the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior from implementing, enforcing, or developing regulations related to this executive order or any executive order that is substantially similar. Additionally, the bill restricts these Secretaries from finalizing certain environmental policies and impact statements, particularly those outlined in a recent Forest Service notice.

Summary of Significant Issues

One of the primary issues with the bill is that it seeks to nullify an existing Executive Order without providing specific reasoning for the measure. Without context, stakeholders and the public may question the motives behind such a legislative action. Additionally, the bill uses terms like "substantially similar executive order" and "substantially similar actions," which may be considered vague. This ambiguity could lead to legal and administrative challenges as different parties may interpret these terms differently. The bill's restriction of environmental impact statements and proposed forest management actions without clear rationale raises concerns regarding the basis for these decisions—whether they account for scientific, economic, or other considerations.

Impact on the Public

If enacted, the bill could result in significant regulatory uncertainty. Executive Order 14072 may include important environmental or land management regulations that stakeholders rely upon for planning and operations. Nullifying this order could disrupt ongoing projects and policies, potentially causing a ripple effect in sectors concerned with agriculture, environmental conservation, and land use.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

This bill could have varied impacts across different stakeholders. For environmental groups and those advocating for forest conservation and management, the prohibition of implementing actions linked to Executive Order 14072 might be perceived negatively, as it could roll back environmental protections or guidelines intended to preserve natural resources. Conversely, stakeholders in industries that view certain regulations as burdensome might view this bill favorably, as it could decrease regulatory constraints and costs. The agricultural sector might experience mixed reactions—while some may appreciate reduced regulatory oversight, others may miss the guidance previously provided by the executive order for sustainable practices. Legal experts and policymakers might find the ambiguity in the language problematic, potentially leading to litigation and complications in regulatory enforcement and compliance.

Issues

  • The nullification of Executive Order 14072 and prohibition on its implementation could lead to significant regulatory uncertainty, particularly if the Executive Order included environmental or land management regulations that stakeholders are relying upon. (Section 1)

  • The lack of specific reasoning or context provided for nullifying Executive Order 14072 raises questions about the motivation behind the bill, which might warrant scrutiny from the public and policymakers. (Section 1, Subsection a)

  • The use of broad and ambiguous language such as 'substantially similar executive order' could lead to legal or administrative challenges, as it may be interpreted in various ways, affecting future regulatory actions. (Section 1, Subsections b and c)

  • The prohibition against finalizing the environmental impact statement No. 20240110 and the proposed actions could impact environmental policies and management strategies, and it is unclear whether this decision is supported by scientific or policy considerations. (Section 1, Subsection c)

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Nullification of Executive Order 14072 Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section nullifies Executive Order 14072, meaning it will not be enforced or have any effect. It also forbids the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior from making or enforcing rules related to this executive order or similar ones, and prevents certain actions regarding environmental impact statements related to forest management.