On the Hill in July and August 2024: A Breakdown of Climate, Energy, and Environmental Hearings

Congress held a total of 17 environmental, energy, and climate-related hearings in July before breaking for August recess. The Republican-led House of Representatives held 11 of those hearings, while the Senate, with a Democratic majority, held six. With climate issues being so far reaching, five different committees in both the House and Senate each covered environmental, energy, or climate legislation. 

As the September 30 deadline for the Fiscal Year 2025 federal budget was approaching, various House committees met to discuss and advance appropriations bills in July. The House Committee on Rules held a hearing to progress the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025, the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025, and the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025— all concerning the funding of environmental and energy-related federal agencies. The House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security also held hearings focused on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission budget and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission budget. These discussions aimed to prioritize upcoming energy projects in the coming fiscal year.

Outside of appropriations, the House focused on agriculture and rural issues. The Committee on Agriculture held two hearings, Financial Conditions in Farm Country, which focused on the state of the farm economy, and Examining the Consequences of EPA’s Actions on American Agriculture, which discuss the impact of the administration's action on American agriculture. Infrastructure and transportation was a recurring topic in the Senate, with hearings on issues ranging from rural and federal infrastructure to electric vehicles and public transportation.

Environmental public health also became a topic of relevance within the Senate Committee on Banking, House, and Urban Affairs. During their hearing, Long-Term Economic Benefits and Impacts from Federal Infrastructure and Public Transportation Investment, witnesses emphasized how resilient infrastructure such as sewage treatment plants and waste management facilities are critical components of public health. The hearing also touched on how civil infrastructure is essential to providing adequate energy services such as electricity, heating, and cooling.

To keep up with Congressional hearings in the future, get EESI’s weekly Environmental and Energy Congressional Round-Up by subscribing to our biweekly newsletter, Climate Change Solutions.

Author: Jamiya Barnett

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