View the Original .pdfThe 1-Minute Brief
What: Executive Order 14236, issued on March 14, 2025, rescinds 18 executive orders, memoranda, and presidential determinations from the previous administration. These reversals span multiple sectors, ending policies related to the COVID-19 data response, federal contractor minimum wage, clean energy manufacturing, and various foreign and domestic social programs.
Money: The Executive Order itself does not appropriate funds or have a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) score. However, its financial impact comes from reversing the prior orders' effects. For example, it eliminates the planned minimum wage of $17.75 per hour for federal contractors, which was estimated to affect around 390,000 workers and increase their total pay by $1.2 billion. It also halts federal investments under the Defense Production Act (DPA) aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing in solar energy and biotechnology.
Your Impact: The most likely direct effect depends on your employment and community. Federal contract workers may see their wages decrease or stagnate. Individuals in the domestic clean energy and biotechnology sectors could see reduced federal support for their industries. Tribal Nations may face increased difficulty in accessing federal funds.
Status: Enacted. The Executive Order was signed by the President and published in the Federal Register on March 20, 2025.
What's Actually in the Bill
This Executive Order immediately revokes a wide range of policies enacted by the prior administration. The order's stated purpose is to "restore common sense to the Federal Government and unleash the potential of American citizens." It achieves this by directly canceling 18 specific executive actions without providing replacements, thereby reverting federal policy to its state before those actions were taken.
Core Provisions:
- (a) Revokes Executive Order 13994, which mandated a data-driven federal response to COVID-19 and future public health threats.
- (b) Revokes National Security Memorandum 3, an initiative to revitalize and diversify the U.S. national security workforce.
- (c) Revokes a Presidential Memorandum aimed at advancing the human rights of LGBTQI+ persons globally through U.S. foreign policy.
- (d) Revokes Executive Order 14026, which increased the minimum wage for federal contractors to $17.75 per hour effective January 1, 2025.
- (g-j) Revokes five Presidential Determinations that used the Defense Production Act (DPA) to boost domestic manufacturing of infant formula, solar panels, insulation, electric heat pumps, and components for fuel cells.
- (k) Revokes Executive Order 14081, a national initiative to advance biotechnology and biomanufacturing for economic and national security.
- (p) Revokes Executive Order 14112, designed to make it easier for Tribal Nations to access federal funding and support programs.
- (q) Revokes Executive Order 14119, which promoted registered apprenticeship programs and labor-management forums within the federal government.
Stated Purpose (from the Sponsors):
The order states its purpose is to rescind presidential orders determined to be harmful.
- The stated goal is to "advance the policy of the United States to restore common sense to the Federal Government and unleash the potential of American citizens."
Key Facts:
Affected Sectors: Public Health, Labor, Clean Energy, Defense, Foreign Policy, Technology, Biotechnology, Tribal Relations, Federal Workforce.
Timeline: The revocations were effective immediately upon the signing of the order on March 14, 2025.
Scope: The order has a broad scope, altering federal government policies, contract requirements, and program priorities nationwide and affecting U.S. foreign policy.
The Backstory: How We Got Here
Timeline of Events:
The Biden Administration's Policy Agenda (2021-2024):
Following the start of a new administration in 2021, a series of executive actions were taken to address key policy priorities. This began with immediate responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, including E.O. 13994 to ensure a data-driven approach. A central theme was economic recovery and worker empowerment, leading to E.O. 14026, which raised the minimum wage for federal contractors. Concurrently, a major focus on climate change and domestic manufacturing led to the use of the Defense Production Act in 2022 to spur growth in clean energy sectors like solar panel and heat pump production. The administration also sought to advance social and equity goals through actions like the memorandum on global LGBTQI+ rights and E.O. 14112, which aimed to reduce bureaucratic barriers for Tribal Nations. These actions largely used executive authority to direct the priorities and operations of the federal government without new legislation from Congress.
Why Now? The Political Calculus:
- The issuance of Executive Order 14236 on March 14, 2025, follows a change in presidential administration.
- The order represents a swift and decisive effort to reverse the policy legacy of the preceding administration, fulfilling campaign promises to undo regulations and policies deemed burdensome or ideologically opposed.
- By bundling the rescission of 18 distinct actions into a single order, the administration signals a sharp, comprehensive pivot in federal governance, targeting policies related to climate, labor regulations, and social equity initiatives.
Your Real-World Impact
The Direct Answer: This directly affects specific groups, including federal contractors, workers in the clean energy and biotech industries, Tribal governments, and federal employees, while indirectly signaling a major shift in national priorities.
What Could Change for You:
Potential Benefits:
- For businesses that contract with the federal government, the removal of the higher minimum wage could lower labor costs.
- Taxpayers who believe the rescinded programs were wasteful may see this as a cost-saving measure.
- Companies in fossil fuel and traditional energy sectors may benefit from the pivot away from federally subsidized clean energy.
Possible Disruptions or Costs:
Short-term (Within 1 Year):
- Approximately 390,000 federal contract workers could see their wages revert to a lower rate, potentially the $13.30 per hour minimum set under a 2014 executive order.
- U.S. companies developing solar panels, heat pumps, and other green technologies will lose targeted federal support and investment, potentially slowing their growth.
- Tribal governments may face renewed administrative hurdles when trying to secure federal funding and services.
Long-term:
- The U.S. may see slower growth in domestic clean energy manufacturing capacity, potentially increasing reliance on foreign sources.
- The removal of federal initiatives for apprenticeships and labor-management forums could reduce opportunities for skilled labor training and worker-management collaboration.
- A shift in foreign policy priorities may reduce the emphasis on promoting human rights for LGBTQI+ individuals abroad.
Who's Most Affected:
Primary Groups: Federal contract workers, the domestic solar and clean energy industry, U.S. biotechnology firms, Tribal Nations, and federal employees involved in national security recruitment and DEIA programs.
Secondary Groups: Labor unions, environmental advocacy organizations, human rights groups, and industries that compete with the previously supported sectors.
Regional Impact: States with a high concentration of federal contractors, significant Tribal populations, or emerging clean energy manufacturing hubs are most affected.
Bottom Line: This executive order reverses numerous prior policies, which could lower wages for some workers and remove federal support for specific industries while potentially reducing regulatory burdens on others.
Where the Parties Stand
Republican Position: "Restoring Common Sense"
Core Stance: Strong support for the executive order as a necessary rollback of the previous administration's overreach and fiscally irresponsible policies.
Their Arguments:
- ✓ Reversing the federal contractor minimum wage promotes free-market principles and reduces inflationary pressure.
- ✓ Halting DPA funding for clean energy ends government interference in the energy market and stops the flow of taxpayer money to politically favored industries.
- ✗ They see the rescinded orders on social issues as divisive and a distraction from the core functions of government.
Legislative Strategy: Defend the executive order from legal and legislative challenges, and use it as a foundation for further deregulation and policy reversals through agency actions and potential legislation.
Democratic Position: "A Harmful Reversal of Progress"
Core Stance: Strong opposition to the executive order, viewing it as a destructive move that harms workers, the environment, and vulnerable communities.
Their Arguments:
- ✓ The prior orders supported good-paying jobs, strengthened domestic supply chains, and addressed the climate crisis.
- ⚠️ They argue the rescissions create instability and uncertainty for businesses and workers who had adapted to the previous policies.
- ✗ They contend that eliminating programs for Tribal Nations, global human rights, and workforce diversity is a retreat from American values and responsibilities.
Legislative Strategy: Publicly condemn the order, encourage legal challenges from affected groups, and introduce legislation to codify some of the rescinded policies into law, making them immune to future executive actions.
Constitutional Check
The Verdict: ✓ Constitutional
Basis of Authority:
The President's authority to issue and rescind executive orders stems from the powers granted by Article II of the U.S. Constitution.
Article II, Section 1, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution: "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America."
Constitutional Implications:
[Presidential Authority]: It is a long-standing and well-established principle that a sitting President can revoke, modify, or supersede the executive orders of a predecessor. Executive orders do not have the permanence of legislation passed by Congress and are generally understood to be subject to change with each new administration.
[Precedent]: The Supreme Court has consistently recognized the President's power to direct the operations of the executive branch, and this includes reversing prior directives. There is no legal requirement for a new President to continue the policies of the previous one that were established by executive order.
[Federalism]: This executive order primarily directs the actions of the federal government and does not directly commandeer state resources or overstep into powers explicitly reserved for the states.
Potential Legal Challenges:
While the President's authority to rescind the executive orders is clear, legal challenges could arise from the consequences of the action. For instance, organizations could sue on the grounds that the reversal of a specific program was done in an "arbitrary and capricious" manner under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), especially if federal agencies reverse formal regulations without a proper notice and comment period. However, a direct challenge to the constitutionality of Executive Order 14236 itself is highly unlikely to succeed.
Your Action Options
TO SUPPORT THIS BILL
5-Minute Actions:
- Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I am calling to express my support for the President's actions in Executive Order 14236 to reduce regulation."
30-Minute Deep Dive:
- Write a Detailed Email: Contact your representatives and the White House to explain why you support the rescission of specific orders mentioned in the text.
- Join an Organization: Find and support advocacy groups focused on limited government, economic freedom, or specific industry interests that benefit from the order.
TO OPPOSE THIS BILL
5-Minute Actions:
- Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to oppose the harmful rollbacks in Executive Order 14236 and work to protect [mention a specific area like contractor wages, clean energy, etc.]."
30-Minute Deep Dive:
- Write a Letter to the Editor: Submit a letter to your local newspaper outlining the negative impacts this order will have on your community or the country.
- Join an Organization: Connect with and support advocacy groups working on labor rights, environmental protection, human rights, or Tribal sovereignty.