H.J.Res. 144: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to "Reproductive Health Services".
Sponsor
Julia Brownley
Democrat · CA-26
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jan 27, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Democrats want to scrap the VA's new reproductive health rule
Why it matters
148 House Democrats have signed on to wipe out one specific Department of Veterans Affairs rule — the agency's 'Reproductive Health Services' rule published December 31, 2025. Under the Congressional Review Act, H.J. Res. 144 doesn't amend the rule. It nullifies it entirely, with no replacement framework written into the text.
H.J. Res. 144 is a yes-or-no vote on one specific VA rule. The rule, titled 'Reproductive Health Services,' was published in the Federal Register on December 31, 2025. If Congress disapproves it, the rule has 'no force or effect.'
The resolution doesn't rewrite the rule or propose a new policy — it just cancels it. That's how the Congressional Review Act works: Congress can vote to roll back a recent federal regulation outright, but the disapproval is all-or-nothing.
If the resolution clears both chambers and the president signs, the rule disappears. The VA also can't re-issue a substantially similar rule without new authorization from Congress.
Veterans seeking reproductive health care through the VA would fall back to whatever framework the agency had in place before the December 31, 2025 rule took effect.
H.J.Res. 144 Bill Summary
What H.J.Res. 144 actually does.
The target: one VA rule, published December 31, 2025
H.J. Res. 144 applies to a single Department of Veterans Affairs rule titled 'Reproductive Health Services,' published in the Federal Register on December 31, 2025 (90 Fed. Reg. 61310). It doesn't touch any other VA rule.
Disapproval means full cancellation, not a rewrite
If passed, the targeted rule shall have 'no force or effect.' That's complete nullification, not a partial amendment. The VA loses the rule, and the resolution doesn't offer a substitute.
The Congressional Review Act is the mechanism
The resolution uses CRA, a 1996 law that gives Congress fast-track authority to disapprove recent agency rules with a simple majority in both chambers and no Senate filibuster.
CRA blocks the VA from re-issuing a similar rule
Once a CRA disapproval becomes law, the agency can't issue a substantially similar rule without fresh authorization from Congress. That bar applies to whatever VA leadership is in place going forward.
All 148 cosponsors are Democrats
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) introduced the resolution alongside 148 cosponsors — every one of them a Democrat. No Republicans have signed on as of the latest action.
Who benefits from H.J.Res. 144?
Critics of the VA's December 2025 rule
Anyone who opposes the 'Reproductive Health Services' rule the VA published on December 31, 2025 would get the full outcome they want: total nullification. The resolution doesn't soften the rule — it scraps it.
Members who want a recorded vote on the rule
A CRA resolution forces a public yes-or-no vote. With 148 cosponsors, H.J. Res. 144 builds toward a House floor vote that puts every member's position on the record — pass or fail.
Lawmakers who want Congress to check agency rulemaking
CRA disapprovals are the main statutory tool Congress has for clawing back an agency rule without writing new law. A 148-cosponsor CRA at introduction is unusually high-profile.
Who is affected by H.J.Res. 144?
Veterans using the VA's reproductive health services
If you rely on the VA for reproductive health-related care, the policy framework you've been working under since December 31, 2025 would disappear. The resolution doesn't include a replacement, so the VA would fall back to its prior framework.
VA staff implementing the current rule
Department officials operating under the new rule since January 2026 would need to revert to the prior framework. Internal guidance built around the December 2025 rule would have to be rolled back.
The 119th Congress and the White House
A CRA disapproval needs majorities in both chambers plus a presidential signature. With Republicans controlling the agenda and no GOP cosponsors signed on, the resolution's path runs through political math, not just procedure.
HJRES144 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Jan 27, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
About the Sponsor
Julia Brownley
Democrat, California's 26th congressional district · 13 years in Congress
Committees: Veterans' Affairs, Transportation and Infrastructure, Natural Resources
View full profile →
Cosponsors (148)
All 148 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 36 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, and 33 more.
Mark Takano
Democrat · CA
Chris Pappas
Democrat · NH
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
Democrat · FL
Morgan McGarvey
Democrat · KY
Delia Ramirez
Democrat · IL
Nikki Budzinski
Democrat · IL
Timothy Kennedy
Democrat · NY
Maxine Dexter
Democrat · OR
Herbert Conaway
Democrat · NJ
Kelly Morrison
Democrat · MN
Teresa Leger Fernandez
Democrat · NM
Diana DeGette
Democrat · CO
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Veterans' Affairs Committee
9 of 24 committee members cosponsored
1 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.J.Res. 144 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Veterans' Affairs
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Armed Forces and National Security
- Introduced
- Jan 27, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Jan 27, 2026
Official Sources
Official bill page for H.J. Res. 144 with status, text, sponsors, and actions.
The specific VA rule (90 Fed. Reg. 61310, Dec. 31, 2025) that H.J. Res. 144 would void under the Congressional Review Act.
Government Publishing Office PDF of the full text of the VA Reproductive Health Services final rule cited in the resolution.
Statutory authority the resolution invokes to disapprove the VA rule with simple majorities in both chambers.
Official VA program page describing the reproductive health services veterans access through the agency the rule governs.
Homepage of the agency whose rule would be nullified if H.J. Res. 144 becomes law.
National Archives office that publishes the Federal Register where the targeted VA rule appeared.
H.J.Res. 144 Common Questions
What does H.J. Res. 144 actually do?
It cancels one rule: the VA's 'Reproductive Health Services' rule, published December 31, 2025. The resolution says the rule shall have 'no force or effect,' which means total nullification — not a partial rewrite.
Which VA rule is H.J. Res. 144 trying to kill?
The 'Reproductive Health Services' rule published by the Department of Veterans Affairs on December 31, 2025, at 90 Fed. Reg. 61310. H.J. Res. 144 doesn't go after any other VA rule — just this one.
Why is this a Congressional Review Act resolution instead of a regular bill?
The CRA gives Congress a fast-track way to disapprove recent agency rules — simple majorities in both chambers, no Senate filibuster. It's how Congress can roll back a regulation without writing new law to replace it.
Who's behind H.J. Res. 144?
Rep. Julia Brownley (D-CA) is the lead sponsor. The resolution has 148 cosponsors, all Democrats — no Republicans have signed on as of the latest action.
If H.J. Res. 144 passes, what replaces the VA rule?
Nothing. The resolution doesn't write a new VA reproductive health policy. Veterans using the VA would fall back to whatever framework the agency had in place before the December 31, 2025 rule took effect.
Could the VA just write a new rule if H.J. Res. 144 passes?
Not easily. Under the Congressional Review Act, once Congress disapproves a rule, the agency can't issue a substantially similar rule without fresh authorization from Congress. That's the long tail of a CRA disapproval.
What are H.J. Res. 144's chances of getting through Congress?
Steep. It would need majorities in a Republican-led House and Senate, plus a presidential signature. With 148 Democratic cosponsors and zero Republicans on the resolution, the partisan math is the main obstacle.
Where does H.J. Res. 144 stand right now?
Referred to the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs on January 27, 2026. No committee action has been taken yet. The next step is committee markup or a discharge maneuver to bring it to the House floor.
Based on H.J.Res. 144 bill text
H.J.Res. 144 Bill Text
“Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Department of Veterans Affairs relating to “Reproductive Health Services”.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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