Energy Desk
Energy Bills
4 bills in the Energy desk, ordered for current relevance and readability.
EnergyHR-26-119Latest action: Feb 10, 20253 readersPassed Chamber
Protecting American Energy Production Act
Sponsored by August Pfluger
The federal government has broad authority to regulate energy production on federal lands and to restrict or prohibit certain extraction methods through executive action. Presidents have used this authority to impose moratoria on specific energy practices, including hydraulic fracturing—the process of injecting pressurized fluid into rock formations to extract oil and natural gas. While states regulate energy production on state and private lands, federal authority over federal lands has allowed administrations to restrict or pause drilling activities based on environmental, climate, or other policy concerns. This bill prohibits the President from declaring a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing without explicit authorization from Congress. The legislation removes the executive authority to unilaterally impose such a ban, requiring instead that any federal moratorium on the practice must be enacted through the legislative process. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that states should retain primary regulatory authority over hydraulic fracturing on state and private lands, though this statement does not change existing law or state regulatory powers. In practice, the bill immediately restricts presidential action going forward. Any future administration seeking to pause or ban hydraulic fracturing would need to secure congressional approval rather than acting through executive order or agency regulation. The change affects only federal authority and does not alter state regulatory frameworks or existing permits and leases. The bill contains no new funding mechanisms or implementation timeline, as it operates as a procedural constraint on executive power rather than establishing new programs or requirements.
Energy
Latest updateFeb 7, 2025
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 226 - 188 (Roll no. 35).
Energy
EnergyHR-75-119Latest action: Feb 6, 20251 readersIn Committee
HOUSE Act of 2025
Sponsored by Andy Biggs
In 2024, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) jointly issued new energy efficiency standards for housing financed through their programs. These standards, published in the Federal Register, represented an update to building requirements aimed at reducing energy consumption in new construction. The standards applied to homes financed through HUD mortgage insurance programs and USDA rural housing loans, establishing minimum efficiency benchmarks that builders and developers had to meet to access federal financing. The HOUSE Act of 2025 requires HUD and USDA to withdraw that final determination and prohibits both agencies from using federal funds to implement or enforce it. The bill directs the agencies to revert to the energy efficiency standards that were in place before the 2024 determination took effect. Additionally, the bill prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs from taking similar action on energy efficiency standards, and it bars the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing any determination or rule relating to energy efficiency standards for single-family and multifamily housing. The bill also amends the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to add a new requirement that at least 26 states must adopt an energy efficiency code or standard meeting or exceeding revised standards before such standards can be applied. The withdrawal takes effect immediately upon enactment, reverting covered housing programs to their previous efficiency standards. No new funding is required, as the bill eliminates rather than creates spending obligations. The change affects all new construction financed through HUD and USDA programs going forward. Builders and developers will no longer face the compliance requirements of the 2024 standards, potentially reducing construction costs but also eliminating the energy savings those standards would have generated. The FHFA provision prevents any parallel rulemaking on efficiency standards for housing financed through government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Energy
Latest updateFeb 6, 2025
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.
Energy
EnergyHR-133-119Latest action: Jan 3, 20254 readersIn Committee
Protecting American Energy Production Act
Sponsored by Lauren Boebert
The federal government has broad executive authority to regulate energy production on federal lands and to restrict or prohibit certain extraction methods through administrative action. Presidents have used this authority to impose temporary restrictions on specific drilling techniques, including hydraulic fracturing (fracking), which involves injecting pressurized liquid into rock formations to extract oil and natural gas. Currently, no statute explicitly prevents a president from declaring such a moratorium through executive order or agency regulation, though any such action would face legal challenges and congressional scrutiny. This bill prohibits the President from declaring a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing unless Congress passes a separate law authorizing it. The legislation establishes that the President lacks unilateral authority to ban or suspend fracking operations. Additionally, the bill expresses the sense of Congress that states should retain primary regulatory control over hydraulic fracturing on state and private lands, reinforcing the principle of state-level oversight rather than federal executive action. The bill takes effect immediately upon enactment and contains no funding provisions, as it restricts executive action rather than creating new programs. If enacted, any future presidential attempt to impose a fracking moratorium would require explicit congressional authorization, effectively raising the procedural bar for such restrictions. The change would not affect existing state regulations or federal permits already issued; it would only constrain future executive orders. The bill's practical impact depends on whether a president attempts such a moratorium—if none is proposed, the law remains largely symbolic but establishes a clear legal boundary for executive power.
Energy
Latest updateJan 3, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Energy
EnergyHR-92-119Latest action: Jan 3, 20253 readersIn Committee
Strategic Production Response and Implementation Act
Sponsored by Andy Biggs
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve, established under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, allows the Department of Energy to draw down oil and gas reserves during energy supply emergencies or at the Secretary's discretion. Currently, the Secretary of Energy can execute these drawdowns without preconditions tied to domestic production. The reserve has been used in recent years to address supply disruptions and moderate energy prices, but no existing law requires coordination between reserve drawdowns and increases in federal oil and gas leasing. This bill amends Section 161 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Department of Energy to develop and implement a compensatory production plan before executing any drawdown of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, except during severe energy supply interruptions. The plan must increase the percentage of federal lands leased for oil and gas production by the same percentage as the petroleum being drawn down from the reserve. The Department of Energy must consult with the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, and Department of Defense in preparing the plan. The total increase in federal leasing cannot exceed 10 percent. Implementation begins immediately upon enactment. The requirement applies to the first drawdown after the bill's passage and all subsequent drawdowns, unless a severe energy supply interruption occurs. No new funding is appropriated; the requirement operates through existing agency authority over federal lands and leasing programs. The effect is to tie future reserve drawdowns to expanded domestic oil and gas leasing on federal property, potentially increasing the acreage available for energy development across multiple federal agencies' jurisdictions.
Energy
Latest updateJan 3, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Energy