[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 143 (Monday, September 9, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7543-H7544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




ENHANCING STATE ENERGY SECURITY PLANNING AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACT 
                                OF 2019

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 2114) to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide 
Federal financial assistance to States to implement, review, and revise 
State energy security plans, and for other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 2114

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing State Energy 
     Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2019''.

     SEC. 2. STATE ENERGY SECURITY PLANS.

       (a) In General.--Part D of title III of the Energy Policy 
     and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.) is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:

     ``SEC. 367. STATE ENERGY SECURITY PLANS.

       ``(a) In General.--Federal financial assistance made 
     available to a State under this part may be used for the 
     implementation, review, and revision of a State energy 
     security plan that assesses the State's existing 
     circumstances and proposes methods to strengthen the ability 
     of the State, in consultation with owners and operators of 
     energy infrastructure in such State, to--
       ``(1) secure the energy infrastructure of the State against 
     all physical and cybersecurity threats;
       ``(2) mitigate the risk of energy supply disruptions to the 
     State and enhance the response to, and recovery from, energy 
     disruptions; and
       ``(3) ensure the State has a reliable, secure, and 
     resilient energy infrastructure.
       ``(b) Contents of Plan.--A State energy security plan 
     described in subsection (a) shall--
       ``(1) address all fuels, including petroleum products, 
     other liquid fuels, coal, electricity, and natural gas, as 
     well as regulated and unregulated energy providers;
       ``(2) provide a State energy profile, including an 
     assessment of energy production, distribution, and end-use;
       ``(3) address potential hazards to each energy sector or 
     system, including physical threats and cybersecurity threats 
     and vulnerabilities;
       ``(4) provide a risk assessment of energy infrastructure 
     and cross-sector interdependencies;

[[Page H7544]]

       ``(5) provide a risk mitigation approach to enhance 
     reliability and end-use resilience; and
       ``(6) address multi-State, Indian Tribe, and regional 
     coordination planning and response, and to the extent 
     practicable, encourage mutual assistance in cyber and 
     physical response plans.
       ``(c) Coordination.--In developing a State energy security 
     plan under this section, the energy office of the State 
     shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate with--
       ``(1) the public utility or service commission of the 
     State;
       ``(2) energy providers from the private sector; and
       ``(3) other entities responsible for maintaining fuel or 
     electric reliability.
       ``(d) Financial Assistance.--A State is not eligible to 
     receive Federal financial assistance under this part, for any 
     purpose, for a fiscal year unless the Governor of such State 
     submits to the Secretary, with respect to such fiscal year--
       ``(1) a State energy security plan described in subsection 
     (a) that meets the requirements of subsection (b); or
       ``(2) after an annual review of the State energy security 
     plan by the Governor--
       ``(A) any necessary revisions to such plan; or
       ``(B) a certification that no revisions to such plan are 
     necessary.
       ``(e) Technical Assistance.--Upon request of the Governor 
     of a State, the Secretary may provide information and 
     technical assistance, and other assistance, in the 
     development, implementation, or revision of a State energy 
     security plan.
       ``(f) Sunset.--This section shall expire on October 31, 
     2024.''.
       (b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 365(f) of the 
     Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6325(f)) is 
     amended--
       (1) by striking ``$125,000,000'' and inserting 
     ``$90,000,000''; and
       (2) by striking ``2007 through 2012'' and inserting ``2021 
     through 2025''.
       (c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
       (1) Conforming amendments.--Section 363 of the Energy 
     Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6323) is amended--
       (A) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e); and
       (B) by striking subsection (e).
       (2) Technical amendment.--Section 366(3)(B)(i) of the 
     Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6326(3)(B)(i)) 
     is amended by striking ``approved under section 367''.
       (3) Reference.--The item relating to ``Department of 
     Energy--Energy Conservation'' in title II of the Department 
     of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1985 
     (42 U.S.C. 6323a) is amended by striking ``sections 361 
     through 366'' and inserting ``sections 361 through 367''.
       (4) Table of sections.--The table of sections for part D of 
     title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:

``Sec. 367. State energy security plans.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Rush) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.


                             General Leave

  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on H.R. 2114.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Illinois?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2114, the Enhancing 
State Energy Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2019, 
and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2114 was introduced by myself and my good friend 
and colleague from Michigan, the ranking member of the Energy 
Subcommittee, Mr. Upton, and I want to thank my colleague for working 
with me to bring this bill to the floor today.
  Mr. Speaker, this legislation would simply amend the Energy Policy 
and Conservation Act by adding a new section authorizing States to 
utilize Federal funding received through the State Energy Program to 
implement, revise, and review a State energy security plan.
  H.R. 2114 lays out eligibility requirements for the contents of a 
State energy security plan to receive assistance and requires the 
Governor of a State to submit a new plan, revisions to a plan, or to 
certify that no revisions to the plan are necessary to the Secretary of 
Energy every year.
  These emergency plans have been vital to the States as they continue 
to improve their ability to identify potential energy disruptions, 
quantify the effects of disruptions, establish response plans, and 
limit the risk of further disturbances, whether they be natural or man-
made.
  Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, it is critical that we provide the 
resources for States to take even more of a prominent role in advancing 
smart and sustainable energy policy.
  Since their inception in the 1970s, State energy programs, bolstered 
by Federal aid, have assisted States in developing much-needed energy 
efficiency and energy conservation measures. Some of these federally 
assisted initiatives that have been implemented by the States include, 
but are not limited to, establishing new partnerships to finance 
retrofit programs, managing loan programs, offering energy savings 
performance contracts, expanding the use of alternative fuels, and 
promoting distributed renewable energy.
  Mr. Speaker, Federal funding and leadership have always been critical 
in helping States and local stakeholders identify the roles and 
responsibilities of the various agencies in times of emergencies, while 
also supporting training and response exercises.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill is a product of a thoughtful and bipartisan 
negotiation process between Ranking Member Upton and myself to provide 
Federal guidance and resources to the States that are most vulnerable 
to critical energy infrastructure threats. Members on both sides of the 
aisle support the State Energy Program, and this legislation will help 
allocate additional resources to further develop and enhance State 
energy security plans.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I 
reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to confirm what the chairman said about this 
bill. It is bipartisan. We worked on this together. It is a good bill 
and it is an important one, which we passed on a voice vote on 
suspension in the last Congress. It reauthorizes the State Energy 
Program, and it strengthens our energy emergency planning and 
preparedness efforts.
  As States and communities respond to the damage throughout the 
Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic from Hurricane Dorian, we are reminded 
how States have to respond to so many different hazards, including 
hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fuel supply disruptions, and physical 
and cyber threats.
  This legislation, in fact, provides States with the flexibility that 
they need to address local energy challenges. It ensures that State 
energy security planning efforts address fuel supply issues, assess 
State energy profiles, address potential hazards to each energy sector, 
mitigate risk to enhance reliability, and incorporate regional planning 
efforts.

                              {time}  1700

  This legislation, H.R. 2114, helps States protect fuel and electric 
infrastructure from both physical and cyber threats and other 
vulnerabilities. It makes sure that we are thinking ahead, not just 
about an actual threat, but how our energy and electric systems might 
be vulnerable in a broader sense.
  The bill also encourages mutual assistance, an essential part of 
responding and restoring, in the event of an energy emergency. So 
prioritizing and elevating security planning and emergency preparedness 
is, in fact, an important step in the face of increased threats, 
vulnerabilities, and interdependencies of energy infrastructure and 
end-use systems.
  It is a bipartisan bill. It is a good bill. I urge all of my 
colleagues to vote for it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 2114.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________