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July 6, 2020
From June 23 to July 1, 2020, 13 bills were referred to committees in the Senate and 29 in the House to address environmental and energy issues. In addition to the introduction of environmentally relevant legislation, the House reported on one bill and Senate passed two bills.
Highlights
On June 30 the House of Representatives' Select Committee on the Climate Crisis released a 538-page majority staff report detailing a legislative framework for climate action. The full title of the report is: Solving the Climate Crisis: The Congressional Action Plan for a Clean Energy Economy and Healthy, Resilient, and Just America.
In legislative action, Congress focused on broadband deployment, especially to rural and low-income areas. S.4021, S.4022 would accelerate the expansion of rural broadband, H.R.7302 would make broadband more accessible and affordable, and H.R.7344 would provide broadband accessibility data to the Department of the Interior.
Congress also focused on transportation. S.4030 would establish an intercity passenger rail service investment program. H.R.7365 would change grants for buses and bus facilities under title 49.
Be sure to read through the rest of the round-up. EESI has curated bills most relevant to energy, environment, and climate topics. The bill list belows is drawn directly from congress.gov.
Bills Referred to Committee:
S.4021 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to accelerate rural broadband deployment.
Sponsor: Sen. Wicker, Roger F. [R-MS] (Introduced 06/22/2020) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: Senate - Commerce, Science, and Transportation
S.4022 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to require the Federal Communications Commission to update the national broadband plan, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 06/22/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
S.4025 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to authorize appropriations for the maritime environmental and technical assistance program.
S.4028 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Act of June 4, 1897, to increase a penalty for the unauthorized landing of certain aircraft on wilderness areas of the National Forest System.
Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (Introduced 06/22/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources
S.4029 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to express the sense of Congress regarding the need for a nationwide moratorium on electric and natural gas utility disconnections during the nationwide emergency relating to the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 06/22/2020) Cosponsors: (7)
S.4030 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to establish an intercity passenger rail service investment grant program.
S.4035 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill establish and provide for the use of amounts in a Trail Stewardship for Economic Recovery Fund, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (Introduced 06/23/2020) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate - Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
S.4038 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program for tree planting to reduce residential energy consumption.
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (Introduced 06/23/2020) Cosponsors: (1)
S.4046 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a program to award grants to eligible entities to purchase, and as applicable install, zero emissions port equipment and technology, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (Introduced 06/23/2020) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: Senate - Environment and Public Works
S.4053 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to modernize the EPSCoR program of the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] (Introduced 06/24/2020) Cosponsors: (4)
S.4057 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Planning Act of 1974 and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to provide that the Secretary of Agriculture and the Secretary of the Interior are not required to reinitiate consultation on a land management plan or land use plan under certain circumstances, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (Introduced 06/24/2020) Cosponsors: (3)
S.4060 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to provide additional funds for Federal and State facility energy resiliency programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (Introduced 06/24/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
S.4087 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to provide for the conveyance of certain Federal land in Carson City, Nevada, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (1)
Bills Passed Senate:
S.327 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
Wounded Veterans Recreation Act
Sponsor: Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (Introduced 02/04/2019) Cosponsors: (3)
S.3758 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Klamath Basin Water Supply Enhancement Act of 2000 to make certain technical corrections.
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (Introduced 05/19/2020) Cosponsors: (1)
House
H.R.7302 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To make high-speed broadband internet service accessible and affordable to all Americans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6] (Introduced 06/24/2020) Cosponsors: (33)
Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure; Energy and Commerce
H.R.7303 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide additional funds for Federal and State facility energy resiliency programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE-At Large] (Introduced 06/24/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce
H.R.7304 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To authorize the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to award grants to eligible entities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at ports, and for other purposes.
H.R.7333 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide that a request for the deployment or modification of a communications facility entirely within a floodplain is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews.
Sponsor: Rep. Bilirakis, Gus M. [R-FL-12] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce
H.R.7334 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To streamline the process for consideration of applications for the placement of communications facilities on certain Federal lands.
Sponsor: Rep. Brooks, Susan W. [R-IN-5] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Natural Resources
H.R.7337 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide that an eligible facilities request under section 6409(a) of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews.
Sponsor: Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7344 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Federal Communications Commission to provide broadband availability data to the Department of Interior.
Sponsor: Rep. Curtis, John R. [R-UT-3] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce; Agriculture
H.R.7349 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Secretary of Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to provide a plan to ensure adequate staffing throughout organizational units of the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture to review communications use authorizations in a timely manner.
Sponsor: Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Natural Resources; Agriculture
H.R.7353 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide that a project eligible for reimbursement under the Secure and Trusted Communications Act of 2019 shall not constitute an undertaking under section 300320 of title 54, United States Code, or a major Federal action for the purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Guthrie, Brett [R-KY-2] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7354 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to transfer certain National Forest System land in the State of Washington to Skamania County, Washington.
Sponsor: Rep. Herrera Beutler, Jaime [R-WA-3] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7357 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide that a request for the collocation of a personal wireless service facility is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews.
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Bill [R-OH-6] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7359 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To accelerate rural broadband deployment.
Sponsor: Rep. Kelly, Trent [R-MS-1] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7365 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To amend title 49, United States Code, with respect to grants for buses and bus facilities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R.7367 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to report to Congress every 60 days on barriers to implementation by the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture of an online portal to accept, process, and dispose of an application for the placement of communications facilities on certain Federal lands.
Sponsor: Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7373 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide that construction, rebuilding, or hardening of communications facilities following a major emergency declared by a Governor relating to a wildfire is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews.
Sponsor: Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7374 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide that the deployment of a small personal wireless service facility shall not constitute an undertaking under section 300320 of title 54, United States Code, or a major Federal action for the purposes of section 102(2)(C) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Scalise, Steve [R-LA-1] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7377 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture to establish an online portal to accept, process, and dispose of an application for the placement of communications facilities on certain Federal lands.
Sponsor: Rep. Upton, Fred [R-MI-6] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7378 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide that a request for the deployment or modification of a communications facility entirely within a brownfields site is categorically excluded from the requirement to prepare certain environmental or historical preservation reviews.
Sponsor: Rep. Walberg, Tim [R-MI-7] (Introduced 06/25/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7387 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a grant program to benefit coastal habitats, resiliency, and the economy, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Mucarsel-Powell, Debbie [D-FL-26] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (6)
Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure; Natural Resources
H.R.7393 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to develop a program to reduce barriers to entry for farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners in certain private markets, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Spanberger, Abigail Davis [D-VA-7] (Introduced 06/26/2020) Cosponsors: (9)
Committees: House - Agriculture
H.R.7400 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To prohibit a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing.
Sponsor: Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3] (Introduced 06/29/2020) Cosponsors: (3)
H.R.7401 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide for Federal and State agency coordination in the approval of certain authorizations under the Natural Gas Act, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Flores, Bill [R-TX-17] (Introduced 06/29/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7404 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.
Sponsor: Rep. Johnson, Bill [R-OH-6] (Introduced 06/29/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7406 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To streamline nuclear technology regulatory permitting and licensing, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Kinzinger, Adam [R-IL-16] (Introduced 06/29/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7410 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To modernize the hydropower licensing process and to promote next generation hydropower projects, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [R-WA-5] (Introduced 06/29/2020) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Oversight and Reform
H.R.7421 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information to establish an interagency strike force to increase prioritization by the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture by senior management of the Department of Interior and Department of Agriculture, or an organizational unit of reviews for communications use authorizations.
Sponsor: Rep. Duncan, Jeff [R-SC-3] (Introduced 06/30/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
H.R.7426 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require development and implementation of an interagency plan to assist communities affected by climate change in the Ohio River Basin, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Lamb, Conor [D-PA-17] (Introduced 06/30/2020) Cosponsors: (2)
H.R.7429 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To establish a more uniform, transparent, and modern process to authorize the construction, connection, operation, and maintenance of international border-crossing facilities for the import and export of oil and natural gas and the transmission of electricity.
Sponsor: Rep. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK-2] (Introduced 06/30/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Transportation and Infrastructure; Natural Resources; Energy and Commerce
H.R.7435 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To reduce methane emissions from flaring and venting natural gas during oil and natural gas production activities, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Upton, Fred [R-MI-6] (Introduced 06/30/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology; Energy and Commerce
Bills Reported:
H.R.2 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
INVEST in America Act
Sponsor: Rep. DeFazio, Peter A. [D-OR-4] (Introduced 06/11/2020) Cosponsors: (129)
Advancing science-based climate solutions
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