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December 10, 2019
This edition of the EESI Congressional Round-Up covers November 8th through November 22nd. More than five dozen bills were referred to committee to address environmental and energy issues. In addition to the introduction of environmentally relevant legislation, Senate committees approved two and House committees approved twelve. Two bills passed the Senate and nine bills passed the House. We have highlighted a few pieces of legislation below.
Expanding renewable and clean energy was a common theme this month in Congress. H.R.5221 would declare it a national goal of the United States to achieve a 100 percent clean economy no later than 2050, and H.R.5154 would include geothermal in the 30 percent energy credit. H.R.5161, H.R.5162, and H.R.5163 would provide credits for zero-emission vehicles and buses.
In addition to renewable energy, Congress focused on natural disaster resilience. H.R.5091, S.2882, and H.R.5040 would improve resilience to wildfires, which have become more common across the country. Coastal resilience was also a popular topic. H.R.729 would authorize grants to Indian Tribes to further achievement of Tribal coastal zone objectives, and H.R.3541 would require the Secretary of Commerce to establish a coastal climate change adaptation and response program.
Finally, Congress worked to expand research regarding a number of environmental and energy issues. H.R.1023 would authorize the United States Geological Survey to conduct research in support of the binational fisheries within the Great Lakes Basin, H.R.5102 expands research for sea-level rise and coastal flooding, and H.R.1487 directs the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a special resource study of portions of the Los Angeles County and the State of California to evaluate alternatives for protecting the resources of the coastal area.
Be sure to read through the rest of the round-up; the 116th Congress has covered a lot of ground, and the best way to keep up to date is to see the bills for yourself. 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.2856 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to establish the Office of Regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Programs within the Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (10)
Committees: Senate - Environment and Public Works
S.2862 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to remove nonnative plant species that contribute to drought conditions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Sinema, Kyrsten [D-AZ] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
S.2873 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Clean Air Act to reform the renewable fuel program under that Act, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
S.2876 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to provide economic empowerment opportunities in the United States through the modernization of public housing, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: Senate - Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
S.2924 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to establish the Bandelier National Park and Preserve in the State of New Mexico.
Sponsor: Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate - Energy and Natural Resources
S.2928 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to reauthorize the University Sustainability Program.
Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: Senate - Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.2930 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to exempt from the Lacey Act and the Lacey Act Amendments of 1981 certain water transfers between any of the States of Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (4)
S.2935 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to prohibit the appointment of former fossil fuel executive officers and fossil fuel lobbyists as the heads of certain departments, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate - Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
S.2941 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to require the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a consumer recycling education and outreach grant program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Portman, Rob [R-OH] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (4)
S.2952 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to reauthorize certain National Heritage Areas, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Brown, Sherrod [D-OH] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (6)
S.2955 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to authorize the imposition of sanctions with respect to significant actions that exacerbate climate change, to reinforce comprehensive efforts to limit global average temperature rise, and for other purposes.
S.2903 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to require the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in consultation with the heads of other relevant Federal agencies, to develop financial risk analyses relating to climate change, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (Introduced 11/20/2019) Cosponsors: (9)
S.2906 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to prohibit the Secretary of the Interior from issuing new oil or natural gas production leases in the Gulf of Mexico under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to a person that does not renegotiate its existing leases in order to require royalty payments if oil and natural gas prices are greater than or equal to specified price thresholds, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 11/20/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
S.2912 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to take certain land located in Pinal County, Arizona, into trust for the benefit of the Gila River Indian Community, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. McSally, Martha [R-AZ] (Introduced 11/20/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate - Indian Affairs
S.2917 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Barrasso, John [R-WY] (Introduced 11/20/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
S.2918 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend title 23, United States Code, to require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a program to provide grants to carry out activities to benefit pollinators on roadsides and highway rights-of-way, including the planting and seeding of native, locally-appropriate grasses and wildflowers, including milkweed, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (Introduced 11/20/2019) Cosponsors: (3)
S.2891 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to establish Tribal Wildlife Corridors, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM] (Introduced 11/19/2019) Cosponsors: (7)
S.2893 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 to provide for the consideration of climate change, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA] (Introduced 11/19/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
S.2896 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to establish the Pullman National Historical Park in the State of Illinois as a unit of the National Park System, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (Introduced 11/19/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
S.2882 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
Wildfire Defense Act
Sponsor: Sen. Harris, Kamala D. [D-CA] (Introduced 11/18/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
S.2890 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to promote conservation, improve public land, and provide for sensible development in Douglas County, Nevada, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (Introduced 11/18/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
S.2854 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to provide for the expansion of emergency planning zones and the development of plans for dry cask storage of spent nuclear fuel, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 11/13/2019) Cosponsors: (2)
S.2837 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to amend title 51, United States Code, to require a National Aeronautics and Space Administration initiative on reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and noise emissions from aircraft, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] (Introduced 11/12/2019) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: Senate - Commerce, Science, and Transportation
S.2818 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to issue regulations to ban the venting and flaring of gas in oil and gas production operations in the United States, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (Introduced 11/07/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
S.2828 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to require the Secretary of the Interior to prepare a programmatic environmental impact statement allowing for adaptive management of certain Federal land in Malheur County, Oregon, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (Introduced 11/07/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
S.Res.411 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A resolution affirming that States maintain primacy for the regulation of hydraulic fracturing for oil and natural gas production on State and private lands, that the President has no authority to declare a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing on State and private lands, and that the President should not attempt to declare a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing on Federal lands (including the Outer Continental Shelf) or lands held in trust for an Indian Tribe, unless the moratorium is authorized by an Act of Congress.
Sponsor: Sen. Toomey, Pat [R-PA] (Introduced 11/07/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Bills Approved By Committee:
S.860 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
Jackson Gulch Rehabilitation Project Modification Act
Sponsor: Sen. Gardner, Cory [R-CO] (Introduced 03/25/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
S.1882 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A bill to make available the continued use of Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program project use power by the Kinsey Irrigation Company and the Sidney Water Users Irrigation District, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Daines, Steve [R-MT] (Introduced 06/18/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committee Reports: S. Rept. 116-161
Bills Passed:
S.2193 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
Charging Helps Agencies Realize General Efficiencies Act
Sponsor: Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (Introduced 07/18/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committee Reports: S. Rept. 116-95
S.Res.422 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
A resolution recognizing November 15, 2019, as "America Recycles Day" and expressing the sense of the Senate that recycling promotes a healthy economy and responsible environmental stewardship.
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Bills Introduced:
H.R.5142 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to update the Federal purchase requirement to ensure the use of 100 percent renewable energy by 2050; and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26] (Introduced 11/18/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Oversight and Reform
Bills Referred to Committee
H.R.5091 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To establish a community wildfire defense grant program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House - Transportation; Natural Resources; Agriculture
H.R.5095 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Secretary of the Interior to delist certain endangered species and threatened species.
Sponsor: Rep. Luetkemeyer, Blaine [R-MO-3] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House - Natural Resources
H.R.5100 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a grant program to remove nonnative plant species that contribute to drought conditions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. O'Halleran, Tom [D-AZ-1] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House - Agriculture
H.R.5101 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend the financing of the Superfund.
Sponsor: Rep. Pallone, Frank, Jr. [D-NJ-6] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House - Ways and Means
H.R.5102 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To designate public colleges and universities that provide research, data, and recommendations on physical and biological science, social science, economic analysis, policy analysis, risk analysis, monitoring, predicting, and planning for sea-level rise and associated coastal flooding and shoreline erosion as National Centers of Excellence in Coastal Resilience Research and Education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Panetta, Jimmy [D-CA-20] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (8)
Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology; Natural Resources; Armed Services
H.R.5113 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To amend the Clean Air Act to reform the renewable fuel program under that Act, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Natural Resources; Science, Space, and Technology
H.Con.Res.74 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
Encouraging the Architect of the Capitol to transition to the exclusive use of electricity derived from renewable energy sources to power the United States Capitol Complex by 2032.
Sponsor: Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (Introduced 11/14/2019) Cosponsors: (14)
Committees: House - Transportation
H.Res.716 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
Designating the National Center of Excellence for research in coastal flooding and recurrent flooding, a partnership among Old Dominion University and William & Mary, including the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and the Virginia Coastal Policy Center at William & Mary Law School.
Sponsor: Rep. Wittman, Robert J. [R-VA-1] (Introduced 11/19/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology
H.R.5115 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To establish the Recycling Infrastructure Program within the Environmental Protection Agency, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Cardenas, Tony [D-CA-29] (Introduced 11/15/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce
H.R.5117 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To require the Secretary of Transportation to establish a working group to conduct a study on the regulatory and legislative improvements necessary to preserve access to certain construction materials and reduce the costs and environmental impacts of infrastructure projects, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Stanton, Greg [D-AZ-9] (Introduced 11/15/2019) Cosponsors: (1)
H.R.5256 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To direct the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to carry out a pilot program to award grants for the electrification of certain refrigerated vehicles, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9] (Introduced 11/22/2019) Cosponsors: (4)
Committees: House - Energy and Commerce; Transportation and Infrastructure
H.R.5258 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose the alternative minimum tax on certain State regulated electric utilities that have not fully adopted climate-resilient infrastructure.
Sponsor: Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-10] (Introduced 11/22/2019) Cosponsors: (3)
H.R.5260 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To improve understanding and forecasting of space weather, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Perlmutter, Ed [D-CO-7] (Introduced 11/22/2019) Cosponsors: (2)
Committees: House - Science, Space, and Technology; Armed Services; Natural Resources
H.R.5215 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend expensing of environmental remediation costs.
Sponsor: Rep. Sherrill, Mikie [D-NJ-11] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (4)
H.R.5217 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To provide for western water security, reliability, modernization, and abundance, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-4] (Introduced 11/21/2019) Cosponsors: (11)
Committees: House - Natural Resources; Transportation and Infrastructure; Agriculture; Science, Space, and Technology
H.R.5218 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)
To direct the Secretary concerned to coordinate with impacted parties when conducting a forest management activity, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. McClintock, Tom [R-CA-4]&
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