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September 17, 2019
Congress came back in session on September 9. The Senate did not introduce any bills and held one hearing on environmental topics. The House introduced two bills and held seven committee hearings.
This month, the House of Representatives held a number of committee hearings about developing the clean energy economy and increasing the number of jobs in the clean energy sector. This included a meeting of the Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. (Read EESI’s article on that meeting here.) Further, the House passed legislation that would ban offshore drilling off the Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf Shore coasts, although these measures are not expected to gain traction in the Senate.
On the Senate side, a number of bills were introduced regarding financial incentives to promote hydroelectric power, clean energy savings, and industrial competitiveness.
Committee Hearings:
Committee on Environment and Public Works: The Committee concluded a hearing to examine the nominations of Aurelia Skipwith, of Indiana, to be Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Department of the Interior
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources: The Subcommittee on Energy concluded a hearing to examine a variety of Senate bills, including:
S. 2137, to promote energy savings in residential buildings and industry
S. 2300, to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to establish a program to incentivize innovation and to enhance the industrial competitiveness of the United States by developing technologies to reduce emissions of nonpower industrial sectors,
S. 2368, to amend the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 and the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to support licensing and relicensing of certain nuclear facilities and nuclear energy research, demonstration, and development, and
S. 2393, to promote a 21st century energy workforce, after receiving testimony from Senators Portman, Shaheen, and Whitehouse; Mark W. Menezes, Under Secretary of Energy; and Anton C. Porter, Executive Director, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. (S. 2137, S. 2300, S. 2368, and S.2393 were discussed in committee on 9/11/2019)
Bills Introduced:
No bills were introduced by the Senate.
Bills Reported on by Committee:
S. 715, to improve the productivity and energy efficiency of the manufacturing sector by directing the Secretary of Energy, in coordination with the National Academies and other appropriate Federal agencies, to develop a national smart manufacturing plan and to provide assistance to small-and medium-sized manufacturers in implementing smart manufacturing programs, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The bill has been placed on the legislative calendar. (Reported on by committee on 9/10/2019)
S. 859, to amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize hydroelectric production incentives and hydroelectric efficiency improvement incentives, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. The bill has been placed on the legislative calendar
Sponsors: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] (Introduced 03/25/2019)
Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources
S. 983, to amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to reauthorize the weatherization assistance program. (S. Rept. No. 116–82), the bill was placed on the legislative calendar.
Sponsors: Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (Introduced 04/02/2019)
Committee on Foreign Affairs: The Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade held a hearing entitled “Preserving the Amazon: A Shared Moral Imperative.” Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
Committee on Natural Resources: The Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests, and Public Lands held a hearing entitled “BLM Disorganization: Examining the Proposed Reorganization and Relocation of the Bureau of Land Management Headquarters to Grand Junction, Colorado.” Testimony was heard from William Perry Pendley, Deputy Director, Policy and Programs, Bureau of Land Management, Department of the Interior; and public witnesses.
Committee on Oversight and Reform: The Subcommittee on Environment held a hearing entitled “The Devil They Knew: PFAS Contamination and the Need for Corporate Accountability, Part III.” Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
Committee on Small Business: The Subcommittee on Rural Development, Agriculture, Trade, and Entrepreneurship held a hearing entitled “Growing the Clean Energy Economy.” Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
Select Committee on the Climate Crisis: The full Committee held a hearing entitled “Solving the Climate Crisis: Manufacturing Jobs for America's Workers.” Testimony was heard from public witnesses.
Committee on Science, Space, and Technology: The Subcommittee on Energy held a markup on H.R. 4091, the ARPA–E Reauthorization Act of 2019'; and H.R. 4230, the Clean Industrial Technology Act. H.R. 4091 was forwarded to the full Committee, without amendment. H.R. 4230 was forwarded to the full Committee, as amended.
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure: The Subcommittee on Highways and Transit held a hearing entitled “Pricing and Technology Strategies to Address Congestion on and Financing of America's Roads.”
H.R. 4230. A bill to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to establish a program to incentivize innovation and to enhance the industrial competitiveness of the United States by developing technologies to reduce emissions of nonpower industrial sectors, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Sponsors: Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6] (Introduced 09/06/2019)
Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology
H.R. 4236. A bill to encourage recycling and reduction of disposable plastic bottles in units of the National Park System, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Natural Resources.
Sponsors: Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5] (Introduced 09/06/2019)
Committees: House - Natural Resources
Bills Discharged from Committees:
H.R. 335, to require the Inter-Agency Task Force on Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia to develop a plan for reducing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms and hypoxia in South Florida, and for other purposes, with an amendment (H. Rept. 116–202, Part 1).
Sponsors: Rep. Mast, Brian J. [R-FL-18] (Introduced 01/08/2019)
Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology; Natural Resources
Bills Passed:
H.R. 205, Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act of 2019: The House passed H.R. 205, to amend the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to permanently extend the moratorium on leasing in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico.
Sponsors: Rep. Rooney, Francis [R-FL-19] (Introduced 01/03/2019)
Committees: House - Natural Resources | Senate - Energy and Natural Resources
H.R. 1941, the House passed H.R. 1941, the Coastal and Marine Economies Protection Act, to amend the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior including in any leasing program certain planning areas.
Sponsors: Rep. Cunningham, Joe [D-SC-1] (Introduced 03/28/2019)
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