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HR 6409 · in committee · significant

FENCES Act

What this bill does

  • This bill allows states to avoid Clean Air Act penalties if they can prove their air quality violations are caused by emissions from outside their borders.
  • States with severe air quality problems in certain areas are affected, particularly those downwind of pollution sources in other countries.
  • States must renew their exemption demonstrations every five years to maintain protection from federal sanctions and fees.

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Community Threads

Started by Cosponsor

  1. 01

    How should states demonstrate that out-of-state emissions caused their air quality violations, and what evidence would be sufficient for federal regulators to accept?

  2. 02

    Which states would likely benefit most from this exemption, and how might it affect the compliance burden on states with significant pollution sources?

  3. 03

    If states can avoid Clean Air Act penalties by attributing violations to external sources, what incentives remain for them to reduce local air pollution?

Cosponsor writes these to seed civic discussion — they aren't user posts. Sign in to reply.

Sponsor · R-TX-11

August Pfluger

Citizen cosponsors

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In Congress

2/ 435

House Reps cosponsoring

Introduced 2026-04-17

Joining the bill

Legislative timeline

  1. 2026-04-17 · senate · IntroReferral

    Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

  2. 2026-04-16 · house · Floor

    Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

  3. 2026-04-16 · house · Floor

    On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 220 - 208 (Roll no. 116).

  4. 2026-04-16 · Floor

    Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 220 - 208 (Roll no. 116).

  5. 2026-04-16 · house · Floor

    On motion to recommit Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 213 - 215 (Roll no. 115).

  6. 2026-04-16 · house · Floor

    Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2937-2938)

  7. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 6409, the Chair put the question on motion to recommit, and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Min demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced.

  8. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    The previous question on the motion to recommit was ordered pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule XIX.

  9. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    Mr. Min moved to recommit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. (text: CR H2908-2909)

  10. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

  11. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 6409.

  12. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6387, H.R. 6398, H.R. 6409 and H. Res. 1156. The resolution provides for consideration of each measure under a closed rule with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution also provides one motion to recommit on H.R. 6387, H.R. 6398, and H.R. 6409.

  13. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1174. (consideration: CR H2902-2909; text: CR H2902-2903)

  14. 2026-04-15 · house · Floor

    Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1174 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 6387, H.R. 6398, H.R. 6409 and H. Res. 1156. The resolution provides for consideration of each measure under a closed rule with one hour of general debate on each measure. The resolution also provides one motion to recommit on H.R. 6387, H.R. 6398, and H.R. 6409.

  15. 2026-04-14 · house · Committee

    Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, H. Rept. 119-594, Part II.

  16. 2026-04-14 · Committee

    Supplemental report filed by the Committee on Energy and Commerce, H. Rept. 119-594, Part II.

  17. 2026-04-09 · house · Calendars

    Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 514.

  18. 2026-04-09 · house · Committee

    Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-594.

  19. 2026-04-09 · Committee

    Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 119-594.

  20. 2026-01-21 · house · Committee

    Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 25 - 22.

  21. 2026-01-21 · house · Committee

    Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

  22. 2025-12-10 · house · Committee

    Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 14 - 11.

  23. 2025-12-10 · house · Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held

  24. 2025-12-03 · house · Committee

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment.

  25. 2025-12-03 · house · IntroReferral

    Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

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