FENCES Act

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Bill ID: 119/hr/6409
Last Updated: April 21, 2026

Sponsored by

Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]

ID: P000048

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

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

April 16, 2026

Introduced

Committee Review

Floor Action

Passed House

Senate Review

📍 Current Status

Next: Both chambers must agree on the same version of the bill.

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, courtesy of the geniuses in Congress. The FENCES Act, a bill so cleverly named it's almost as if they want us to think they're trying to keep something out - or perhaps just keeping the truth fenced in.

Let's dissect this mess, shall we? The bill amends the Clean Air Act to "clarify" standards for emissions emanating from outside the United States. Because, you know, it's not like our own industries are responsible for polluting our air; it's clearly those pesky foreigners and their emissions that are the real problem. This is a classic case of "emission-itis," where politicians try to shift the blame to external factors rather than addressing the root cause of the disease.

The new regulations created by this bill are a perfect example of "regulatory rheumatism" - they're stiff, outdated, and only serve to further entrench the interests of polluters. The affected industries, of course, will be thrilled to have more loopholes to exploit. The fossil fuel industry, in particular, will be doing the "emissions evasion dance," where they pretend to comply with regulations while actually finding new ways to circumvent them.

Compliance requirements and timelines? Ha! This bill is a masterclass in "compliance constipation" - it's all about delaying and deferring actual action. States can now claim that emissions from outside the country (or even from natural disasters) are the reason they're not meeting air quality standards, and thus avoid sanctions and fees. It's like saying, "I'm not responsible for my own pollution; it's someone else's fault!" This is a textbook case of "polluter's paralysis," where industries use every excuse in the book to avoid taking responsibility for their actions.

The enforcement mechanisms and penalties? Don't make me laugh. The bill explicitly states that even if a state demonstrates that they would have met air quality standards but for external emissions, they're still required to implement measures to reduce pollution. But what's the incentive to actually do so when they can just blame someone else and avoid consequences? This is a classic case of "regulatory rigor mortis" - the regulations are dead on arrival, and everyone knows it.

The economic and operational impacts? Well, let's just say that this bill is a "gift" to polluters. By allowing states to shift the blame for their own emissions, industries can continue to operate with impunity, all while pretending to care about air quality. It's a win-win for them: they get to keep polluting and avoid paying fines. The rest of us, however, will be left breathing in the toxic fumes of their greed.

In conclusion, the FENCES Act is a farce, a sham, a travesty. It's a bill designed to protect polluters, not the environment or public health. So, to all the politicians and lobbyists involved in crafting this monstrosity

Related Topics

Federal Budget & Appropriations Transportation & Infrastructure Civil Rights & Liberties Criminal Justice & Law Enforcement Small Business & Entrepreneurship State & Local Government Affairs National Security & Intelligence Congressional Rules & Procedures Government Operations & Accountability
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💰 Campaign Finance Network

Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$101,135
16 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$7,600
Committees
$0
Individuals
$93,535

No PAC contributions found

1
SYCUAN BAND OF THE KUMEYAAY NATION
2 transactions
$6,600
2
ALABAMA-COUSHATTA TRIBE
1 transaction
$1,000

No committee contributions found

1
WILSON, CELIA R
4 transactions
$22,400
2
PUDWILL, JAMES
2 transactions
$13,200
3
GELBMAN, JOEL
2 transactions
$13,200
4
DIMEMMO, COLETTE
1 transaction
$6,600
5
AUSTIN, RUTH
2 transactions
$6,600
6
WILSON, WORD B
1 transaction
$5,000
7
O'BRIEN, JAMES
1 transaction
$3,435
8
WIDENER, BROCK
1 transaction
$3,300
9
POOL, VALRIE S
1 transaction
$3,300
10
KAMON, KENNETH
1 transaction
$3,300
11
ZALIK, DAVID
1 transaction
$3,300
12
JENNINGS, MICHAEL
1 transaction
$3,300
13
WALKER, TODD
1 transaction
$3,300
14
HIDUKE, MARK
1 transaction
$3,300

Cosponsors & Their Campaign Finance

This bill has 2 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.

Rep. Crenshaw, Dan [R-TX-2]

ID: C001120

Top Contributors

10

1
CHEVRON
Organization SAN RAMON, CA
$5,000
Sep 4, 2024
2
COMPLETE EMERGENCY CARE HOLDING LLC
Organization SOUTHLAKE, TX
$3,500
Mar 11, 2024
3
SANDLIAN REALTY
Organization WICHITA, KS
$1,000
Feb 7, 2024
4
ALABAMA-COUSHATTA TRIBE
Organization LIVINGSTON, TX
$1,000
Sep 30, 2024
5
RUSSELL W H KRIDEL MD PA
Organization HOUSTON, TX
$250
Feb 28, 2023
6
JONES RANCH LLC
Organization CORPUS CHRISTI, TX
$250
Mar 13, 2024
7
MAFRIGE, DAVID
SELF COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS
Individual HOUSTON, TX
$9,900
Jun 21, 2023
8
MAFRIGE, DAVID
SELF COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS
Individual HOUSTON, TX
$9,900
Jun 21, 2023
9
ODEN, KEITH
CAMDEN PROPERTY TRUST EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN
Individual HOUSTON, TX
$9,900
Jun 27, 2023
10
ODEN, KEITH
CAMDEN PROPERTY TRUST EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN
Individual HOUSTON, TX
$9,900
Jun 27, 2023

Rep. Crank, Jeff [R-CO-5]

ID: C001137

Top Contributors

10

1
AK-CHIN INDIAN COMMUNITY
Organization MARICOPA, AZ
$1,000
Aug 27, 2024
2
FREYER, JOHN
LAND TITLE INS
Individual DENVER, CO
$6,600
Oct 8, 2024
3
BANCROFT, PAUL
BANCROFT INVESTMENTS MANAGER
Individual SCOTTSDALE, AZ
$6,600
Oct 14, 2024
4
MIENTKA, DANNY
THE EQUITY GROUP LLC DEVELOPER
Individual COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
$6,600
Dec 23, 2024
5
BENSON, BRUCE D
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual DENVER, CO
$6,600
Mar 18, 2024
6
BENSON, MARCY
RETIRED RETIRED
Individual DENVER, CO
$6,600
Mar 18, 2024
7
JENKINS, CAROLYN SUE
HOMEMAKER HOMEMAKER
Individual MANITOU SPRINGS, CO
$6,600
Mar 11, 2024
8
JENKINS, DAVID D
NOR'WOOD FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN
Individual MANITOU SPRINGS, CO
$6,600
Mar 11, 2024
9
JEWELL, DAWN MICHELLE
Individual FORT MYERS, FL
$6,600
Mar 29, 2024
10
JOHNSON, JAMES M
GE JOHNSON HOLDINGS SELF-EMPLOYED
Individual COLORADO SPRINGS, CO
$6,600
Mar 11, 2024

Donor Network - Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

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Showing 25 nodes and 29 connections

Total contributions: $124,835

Top Donors - Rep. Pfluger, August [R-TX-11]

Showing top 16 donors by contribution amount

2 Orgs14 Individuals