[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 10, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H5522-H5528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
STATE PLANNING FOR RELIABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY ACT
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 936, I call
up the bill (H.R. 3628) to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies
Act of 1978 to add a standard related to State consideration of
reliable generation, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate
consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. Foxx). Pursuant to House Resolution 936,
the bill is considered read.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 3628
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 ``State Planning for
Reliability and Affordability Act''.
SEC. 2. STATE CONSIDERATION OF RELIABLE GENERATION.
(a) In General.--Section 111(d) of the Public Utility
Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2621(d)) is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``(22) Ensuring electric reliability with reliable
generation facilities.--
``(A) In general.--Each State regulated electric utility
that employs integrated resource planning shall establish, as
part of such integrated resource planning, measures,
sufficient to ensure the reliable availability of electric
energy over a 10-year period, to maintain--
``(i) the operation of reliable generation facilities; or
``(ii) the procurement of electric energy from reliable
generation facilities.
``(B) Reliable generation facility defined.--In this
paragraph, the term `reliable generation facility' means an
electric generation facility that ensures the reliable
availability of electric energy by--
``(i) having operational characteristics to enable the
generation of electric energy on a continuous basis for a
period of not fewer than 30 days;
``(ii) having--
``(I) adequate fuel, or a continuously available energy
source, on-site to enable the generation of electric energy
on a continuous basis for a period of not fewer than 30 days;
or
``(II) contractual obligations that ensure adequate fuel
supply to achieve the generation of electric energy on a
continuous basis for a period of not fewer than 30 days;
``(iii) having operational characteristics to enable the
generation of electric energy during emergency and severe
weather conditions; and
``(iv) providing essential services related to the reliable
availability of electric energy, including frequency support
and voltage support.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Obligations to consider and determine.--Section 112 of
the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C.
2622) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the following:
``(9)(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment
of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with
respect to each State regulated electric utility for which
the State has ratemaking authority) shall commence
consideration under section 111, or set a hearing date for
consideration, with respect to the standard established by
paragraph (22) of section 111(d).
``(B) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of
this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect
to each State regulated electric utility for which the State
has ratemaking authority) shall complete the consideration
and make the determination under section 111 with respect to
the standard established by paragraph (22) of section
111(d).'';
(B) in subsection (c)--
(i) by striking ``subsection (b)(2)'' and inserting
``subsection (b)''; and
[[Page H5523]]
(ii) by inserting ``In the case of the standard established
by paragraph (22) of section 111(d), the reference contained
in this subsection to the date of enactment of this Act shall
be deemed to be a reference to the date of enactment of that
paragraph (22).'' after ``paragraph (21).''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(i) Other Prior State Actions.--Subsections (b) and (c)
shall not apply to the standard established by paragraph (22)
of section 111(d) in the case of any State regulated electric
utility in a State if, before the date of enactment of this
subsection--
``(1) the State has implemented for the State regulated
electric utility the standard (or a comparable standard);
``(2) the State regulatory authority for the State has
conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the
standard (or a comparable standard) for the State regulated
electric utility; or
``(3) the State legislature has voted on the implementation
of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the State
regulated electric utility during the 3-year period ending on
that date of enactment.''.
(2) Prior and pending proceedings.--Section 124 of the
Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C.
2634) is amended by inserting ``In the case of the standard
established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d), the
reference contained in this section to the date of enactment
of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the date of
enactment of that paragraph (22).'' after ``paragraph
(21).''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The bill shall be debatable for 1 hour,
equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member
of the Committee on Energy and Commerce or their respective designees.
After 1 hour of debate, it shall be in order to consider the
amendment printed in part D of House Report 119-399, if offered by the
Member designated in the report, which shall be in order without
intervention of any point of order, shall be considered read, shall be
separately debatable for the time specified in the report equally
divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, and shall not
be subject to a demand for division of the question.
The gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie).
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 3628.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3628, the State Planning For
Reliability and Affordability Act, sponsored by my colleague
Congressman Evans from Colorado.
H.R. 3628 directs State public utility commissions to consider
implementing measures that would ensure utilities retain sufficient,
reliable generation through their integrated resource plans to maintain
the stability and affordability of their electric grids.
Over 35 States utilize resource plans to ensure their utilities are
appropriately planning their investments in the electric grid.
The U.S. grid, commonly referred to as the greatest machine on Earth,
is a complex system compromised of myriad components and infrastructure
to deliver electricity that powers our economy and enables modern life
for households.
To ensure the timely delivery of electricity at all times of the day,
utilities have historically undergone extensive planning processes to
methodically deploy ratepayer dollars to build requisite
infrastructure.
Unfortunately, in recent years, we have seen States move away from an
integrated resource planning process centered on reliability and
affordability toward one intended to achieve climate and environmental
justice goals.
{time} 1800
The central focus of utility planning must be on the end-use
ratepayers, keeping the lights on for households at an affordable
price. Unfortunately, the States that have taken the most aggressive
stance on climate goals are the same States with the highest
electricity rates in the country.
H.R. 3628 is fuel neutral and focused on attributes that are
essential to reliability and affordability, such as frequency and
voltage support. This legislation ensures that baseload and
dispatchable resources, such as natural gas, hydropower, coal, and
nuclear, are sufficiently considered as part of any 10-year plan.
There is a road for a diverse energy mix that includes renewables and
storage, but we know that not all electrons are the same.
This is the exact message that the Committee on Energy and Commerce
has heard in hearings with grid operators, utilities, engineers, and
those charged with protecting the reliability of our grid. In fact,
just last month, the head of the NERC called the current reliability
crisis a five-alarm fire.
The State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act prioritizes
the resources we need most. It will encourage States to take more
responsibility over their systems.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the legislation, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to this bill. It is a
wholesale attack on clean energy under the guise of reliability.
Americans can see through the nonsense here to the truth, and that is
that Republicans are waging a culture war against wind and solar.
American families are footing the bill with higher monthly utility
bills.
For a moment, I want to try to take Republicans at their word, that
this bill is all about electric reliability, ensuring that the lights
won't go out. In that case, I have excellent news for my Republican
colleagues. The law this bill amends, the Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act, or PURPA, already does that. The law requires States to
have an integrated resource plan that considers reliability. That is
all we need to do, and Congress already did it 33 years ago.
Of course, the only difference between that law and the language in
this bill is the bogus definition about what counts as ``reliable
generation facility.'' It should come as no surprise that the only
things that count are coal, natural gas, and nuclear. That is it, not
wind, not solar, not either of those even when paired with battery
storage. It is completely ridiculous and the latest example of
Republicans' relentless attack on cheaper and cleaner energy sources.
Ever since President Trump took office earlier this year, Republicans
have been obsessed with crusading against wind and solar whenever they
can. They passed the big, ugly bill, which slashed tax incentives for
clean energy and made electricity more expensive for everyone. They
have tried to kill every wind or solar project on Federal lands and in
Federal waters, driving up people's energy bills even further. Now,
they are trying to put another thumb on the scale in favor of dirty
fossil energy by pushing a bill with a fake definition of ``reliable
generation.''
Unfortunately, the American people are paying the price. This past
summer, when much of the United States was in a so-called heat dome
fueled by climate change, the grid's electricity regulators said that
solar helped save the day, preventing dangerous outages in that record
heat.
The reality is that no single source of electricity is perfect, but
that is why storage and a diversity of generation resources are so
important. Republicans don't care about how we can actually help the
grid. Instead, they only care about extending fossil fuels at the
expense of clean, cheap energy.
This is just another instance when Republicans are doing the bidding
of their corporate polluter friends over the needs of the American
people. If they cared about the American people, they would be bringing
bills to the floor that would actually address the affordability
crisis. Instead, Republicans are debating this bill that they know will
increase prices for Americans.
By forcing States to consider preferencing dirty and expensive fossil
energy, Republicans are increasing everyone's utility bills even more
than they already have. It is just more of the same from a Republican
Congress that is dead set on increasing costs for American families.
[[Page H5524]]
I don't understand it, Madam Speaker. President Trump promised to cut
Americans' power bills in half. Instead, he and Republicans are causing
them to soar with their backward policies and their war on cheaper,
cleaner energy. Since Trump took office, electricity prices are up 13
percent, and natural gas prices are up 8 percent. They simply don't
care. They would rather continue to push bills like this that will make
the affordability crisis even worse.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, and
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Latta), my good friend and colleague on the Committee on
Energy and Commerce, the chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy.
Mr. LATTA. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend, the chairman of the
Committee on Energy and Commerce, for getting this bill here to the
floor.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3628, the State Planning for
Reliability and Affordability Act, sponsored by my colleague from
Colorado's Eighth District. This legislation ensures that States take
responsibility for their policy decisions that impact households'
access to affordable and reliable supplies of electricity.
It is clear that we are in the midst of a reliability and
affordability crisis caused by the Biden administration and decisions
by States to attack baseload power supplies. Let me be clear: There is
nothing more expensive than a blackout, and that was the path created
by the Biden administration.
In 2008, House Republicans developed an all-of-the-above energy
strategy. This meant that the Federal Government didn't pick winners
and losers. The data is clear. States with the most aggressive forms of
clean energy standards are the same States with the higher electricity
bills.
Across the country, rate case filings by utilities detail the reasons
for rising costs: new infrastructure to meet State climate goals,
stranded assets of prematurely retired power plants, and the need for
additional backup generation to keep the lights on when the weather
doesn't cooperate.
Just look at States like New York, whose own grid operator has begun
sounding the alarm over how their State laws are driving up baseload
generation resources that could threaten the integrity of their system.
Comparatively, States that have responsibly maintained reliability of
their system have enjoyed affordable electricity rates and an influx of
investment into energy-intensive industries, such as domestic
manufacturing, that drive economic growth.
The central focus on resource planning must be affordability and
reliability.
While climate and environmental justice goals of States seem
laudable, the greatest harm that could come to our communities is a
grid without enough electricity. In every facet, our modern life is
uniquely dependent on a reliable and affordable electric grid.
Madam Speaker, H.R. 3628 brings common sense back to integrated
resource planning, and I urge my colleagues to support the legislation.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Florida (Ms. Castor), who is the ranking member of the Committee on
Energy and Commerce's Subcommittee on Energy.
Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Pallone
for yielding the time.
Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 3628. I think we all know
that our neighbors are really struggling with higher electric bills.
They are really grappling with how to pay these higher costs.
Household electricity prices across America are up by 13 percent this
year--17 percent in North Carolina and 15 percent in the State of
Georgia. Folks really are at their wits' end because it is all coming
down at once.
In Florida, the three largest investor-owned utilities have requested
$34 billion in price hikes this year. Last month, the DeSantis-
appointed utility commission approved a $7 billion rate hike for
Florida Power & Light customers. FPL customers will be paying much more
over the next few years.
In Tampa, I was with some neighbors who were burning their electric
bills, throwing them into a garbage can, lighting them on fire because
they are struggling to keep the lights on. If you are a TECO customer,
you are going to be paying about $939 more annually than you were 5
years ago.
{time} 1810
Madam Speaker, folks back home are really wondering: Can Congress get
its act together to help lower the cost of living and work on
solutions? I hate to report that, no, Republicans in Congress and the
Trump administration have shown no interest in doing that or in
tackling lower electric bills. In fact, they are making it worse.
Electric bills are going up for a number of reasons. Let's talk about
it.
There is the big, ugly bill that Republicans passed in July. That is
projected to raise electricity rates by 61 percent. Why? They took away
a lot of the tax credits to speed cheaper energy onto the grid. They
ripped away rebates to help consumers save money on their electric
bills. They canceled a lot of jobs that were helping people pay the
bills.
Then when we add on the arbitrary tariffs of the Trump
administration, that has a significant cost. Projections are that the
average household is going to pay about $1,600 more per year. Some
estimates are up to about $2,000 a year. That is, yes, on our coffee
and groceries and consumer goods. It is also impacting electric bills.
We do import poles and wires and energy, and that is raising electric
bills, too.
The Trump administration has also canceled billions of dollars' worth
of cheaper, cleaner energy projects and solar projects in every State.
No one has been immune to this. That has also fed into skyrocketing
electric bills. All of this adds up.
We are looking at a healthcare cliff in just another couple of weeks.
Congress has only one more week to act to reinstitute the ACA tax
credits. That is 4.5 million Floridians who will face higher healthcare
bills, in addition to what they are doing to higher electric bills and
our groceries. I would say to American families that they deserve so
much better than they are getting here.
This bill, H.R. 3628, amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies
Act to four States to favor more expensive, dirty energy over cleaner,
cheaper energy. It is a ridiculous requirement that they want to add,
and it directly conflicts with the provisions in the law right now that
require States to maintain a diverse portfolio of electricity and
engage in prudent resource planning.
Who loves this? Oil and gas companies love it. Investor-owned
utilities love it. They will profit at the expense of hardworking
Americans. Energy generated by wind, solar, and stored in batteries is
often cheaper. It should make up a substantial portion of our
electricity portfolio.
Madam Speaker, we need to lower electric bills by speeding cleaner
and cheaper energy to the grid, especially to meet rising demand, and
to do it while we protect clean air and clean water. America cannot
afford to turn its back on half of all of the new electricity that is
poised to come onto the grid over the next 5 years.
We need a modern transmission system and a modern electric grid. We
need to speed up clean energy and not throw a wrench in it and make
people pay more back home. They are already paying too much.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Evans), a very important member of the Energy and
Commerce Committee.
Mr. EVANS of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand here today
in strong support of my bill, the State Planning for Reliability and
Affordability Act, to help drive down the cost of energy for Coloradans
and Americans.
This is a straightforward piece of legislation that will help
counteract shortsighted energy policies that States like Colorado have
implemented for far too long to the detriment of my constituents and
their wallets.
This commonsense bill would require State public utility commissions
like the Colorado PUC to consider implementing policy that focuses on
long-term energy reliability which, of course, helps affordability.
My constituents are facing an energy crisis in no small part due to
the skyrocketing costs of utilities in Colorado,
[[Page H5525]]
and that has happened during the last 4 years under Democrat control
both at the Federal and the State level.
Coloradans are paying 24 percent more in electricity now than they
were just 4 years ago, and it is easy to see why. The Colorado Public
Utilities Commission and statewide Democrats have been enacting one bad
policy after another, from shutting down power plants that provide
reliable baseload power to mandating so-called beneficial
electrification which seeks to ban natural gas for residential heating
by 2050. The results have been catastrophic. A nonpartisan report from
earlier this year found the following:
``Driven by State policy mandates to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,
electricity prices are projected to grow at more than three times the
rate of inflation and nearly 13 times the growth rate from 2010 to
2020.''
That report goes on to project that by 2030, the average Colorado
household will spend $390 to $504 more annually due to rates outpacing
inflation and historic trends, all Colorado households combined will
spend between $970 million and $1.25 billion more in electricity costs.
The average electricity rate will grow by 56 percent, from 12 cents a
kilowatt-hour to 18.4 cents a kilowatt-hour.
That is not partisan conjecture. Those are the cold, hard facts that
my constituents have to face.
Americans are tired of partisan energy policies like the ones we saw
in the previous administration, which is why my legislation takes a
fair and balanced approach that supports a wide range of reliable
energy generation from more traditional sources like natural gas to
greener sources like nuclear and hydropower.
It shouldn't be a left versus right issue. If an energy source is
reliable and drives down costs, it should be on the table.
I would remind my colleagues on the other side of the aisle that
financial stress induced by higher utility costs also increases
negative health outcomes.
We need balance, not heavy-handed leftist mandates that harm the
economy, increase costs, and increase poverty, which, again, increases
negative health outcomes.
Madam Speaker, we know that energy demand is going up, not down.
Nationally, demand is expected to surge by over 50 percent in the next
15 years. In States like Colorado, where we are leading in the AI race
and the resurgence of manufacturing, it is even higher.
My local utility has projected energy demand will triple in the next
10 years. The three biggest cities in my district have cited power
shortages as the biggest inhibitors to growth.
While my bill focuses on affordability, it is also about national
security. If America is to onshore manufacturing capabilities and
compete with China militarily and otherwise, we need reliable energy.
As a former National Guardsman who has been deployed to a combat zone,
that is of critical importance to me, as well.
Madam Speaker, in closing, this commonsense bill is simple. It helps
bolster American innovation, keeps the lights on rain or shine, and
helps reduce utility bills for the middle class. As a Representative of
a district that is at the forefront of American energy dominance, I am
proud to stand on the floor today and urge my colleagues to join me in
voting for reliable energy and lower bills for all Americans.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Neguse), our assistant Democratic leader.
Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, I thank Mr. Pallone for yielding me the
time.
Madam Speaker, only in Washington, D.C., can politicians who vote to
give tax breaks to the biggest oil companies and fossil fuel companies
on planet Earth come down to the floor of the House and argue that
their legislative efforts are going to lower electricity prices.
Only in Washington, D.C., can politicians stand by as energy projects
in their own districts are decimated by their inaction and then claim
that they are championing efforts to improve the reliability of the
grid.
My colleague from Colorado made a lot of references to local utility
efforts in our home State. What he failed to mention in his quest to
improve reliability of the grid is that several projects in his own
district were eliminated by the Trump administration just 5 weeks ago.
My colleague from Colorado, like virtually every single Member of the
Republican Conference, did nothing to stop it, nothing.
By the way, we are not talking about small projects. This is the
headline. ``Colorado company may close after Trump administration cuts
funding for nearly 3 dozen energy projects in the State.''
{time} 1820
I will quote this article, Madam Speaker: ``In all, DOE eliminated
$7.6 billion in projects in 16 States, all of which are led by
Democrats.''
Here is the kicker: ``But some of the projects are in Republican
congressional districts, including a $27 million grant in Colorado's
Eighth Congressional District, which Representative Gabe Evans, a
Republican, represents.''
Gabe Evans is the author of this legislation we are debating today.
I will quote another article. This is the local utility, Madam
Speaker, in Fort Lupton, which I believe is the sponsor of this
legislation's hometown. I will just quote: ``The Fort Lupton Microgrid
project was submitted with the goal of increasing the reliability of
the city's municipal water treatment plant.''
This is another project, $6.1 million, Madam Speaker, that was
unceremoniously cut 1 month ago by President Trump.
If we want to get serious about the reliability of the grid and if we
want to address the ballooning electricity costs that are a direct
byproduct of the bill that Republicans passed earlier this summer, then
a good way to start would be to tell the Department of Energy to stop
eliminating energy projects in Brighton, in Fort Lupton, in Fort
Collins, and in Longmont, the communities I represent and the
communities that my colleague from Colorado represents.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentleman from Colorado.
Mr. NEGUSE. Madam Speaker, I thank the ranking member for his
indulgence.
By the way, Madam Speaker, just so that we are clear, this bill does
absolutely nothing as a practical matter. I welcome Chairman Guthrie's
response on this front. It does nothing to impose new standards, it
does nothing to compel State public utility commissions to adopt new
standards, and it does nothing to require these commissions to
implement new standards.
It simply says that commissions must consider them.
This is basically a press release. That is what this bill is. We
could have spared everyone the time and just got on with it so that we
can actually get to the substance of addressing the inflation cost
crisis that Republicans have unleashed on Coloradans and on Americans
writ large, but, no, we are here to debate this very carefully
constructed press release that ultimately will accomplish nothing if it
is ever signed into law.
Madam Speaker, I am voting ``no,'' and I urge my colleagues to do the
same.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I am
prepared to close.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Washington (Ms. Schrier), who is a member of our committee.
Ms. SCHRIER. Madam Speaker, I rise today as families across the
entire country are struggling with rising costs at the grocery store,
on their healthcare, their health insurance, and this year especially,
on their utility bills. In fact, in Washington State, average
electricity rates are up nearly 17 percent since Trump took office less
than 1 year ago.
With energy demand skyrocketing in the region, prices have continued
to climb.
Let me be clear. This is a direct result of the harmful and reckless
policies of this President and Republicans in Congress. They have
canceled billions of dollars in investments for our State, including
the hydrogen hub that would expand research and development of hydrogen
fuel, bolster American energy dominance, and bring nearly 10,000 jobs
to the region.
[[Page H5526]]
They have created chaos at critical agencies that keep the lights on
like Bonneville Power Administration. Moreover, with their big, ugly
bill they have gutted clean energy investments meant to lower utility
bills and strengthen our energy infrastructure in the Pacific Northwest
and keep the lights on.
With Republicans in charge here in Washington, D.C., jobs and
innovation are down, clean energy projects are canceled, and energy
prices are up. My constituents deserve better. They want real solutions
that will lower costs and better their lives.
At a time when families are struggling to pay for the essentials, the
single most valuable thing we can do in the energy sector is roll out
more low-cost, clean energy, not hinder it.
We have a real shot at meaningful reforms that will cut red tape and
accelerate the build-out of abundant, affordable energy. We can build
more power lines for a more connected and nimble grid, and we can
secure our supply chain of critical grid infrastructure, as well.
This bill that we are voting on today does none of that, and that is
why I am asking my colleagues to oppose this bill and start a good-
faith, bipartisan discussion to bring real solutions to the American
people, not just empty promises.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
California (Mr. Mullin), who is also a member of our committee.
Mr. MULLIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the so-
called State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act. This
measure will encourage State regulators to push our grid toward more
expensive and polluting sources of energy at the very moment families
are struggling with rising energy bills.
Across this country, households and small businesses are seeing
electricity costs rise by hundreds of dollars. Demand for power is
rising quickly, and this year, utilities have already proposed major
rate hikes to the tune of $34 billion. Instead of helping lower bills
with forward-looking technology, this legislation takes us backward,
effectively promoting energy sources that take longer to build and
deploy and cost more to operate.
These are costs that will be passed on directly to everyday
Americans.
This comes 1 year after President Trump promised to cut energy prices
in half. Instead, on his watch, prices are rising. According to
multiple press reports, he privately urged oil executives to spend $1
billion in support of his campaign last year in exchange for promoting
their interests as President.
Perhaps it is no surprise we are seeing policies that benefit the
most expensive energy sources instead of the cheapest options available
to consumers.
Utility-scale solar and wind are the lowest-cost sources of new power
today. Together with battery storage, they can be built quickly,
strengthen reliability, and keep bills down. This bill undermines State
planning processes that would promote reliable and cheap sources of
energy, which also happen to be the cleanest. It limits choice and will
slow energy innovation, keeping prices higher than they need to be.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to reject this bill and work
together on real solutions that lower energy bills for the American
people.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, may I ask the chairman if he is prepared
to close.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I have no further speakers on the bill,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Kentucky has the right to
close.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise to object to the Trump administration and
congressional Republicans' disastrous energy policies and their impacts
on everyday Americans.
We have a duty to ensure that our power grid can keep the lights on.
That demands an all-of-the-above approach to energy. Given the
unprecedented demand to add capacity to our grid as AI data centers
continue to expand, we need to use every tool that we can to keep
energy prices down. That means adding clean energy to the grid. It is
the quickest source of energy to add to the grid given the current
multiyear gas turbine shortage.
Grid reliability regulators have been basically clear: Renewable
energy and batteries were critical in allowing the grid to endure
multiple heat waves this summer.
That is why Texas has added more solar and wind energy to their power
grid, more than any other State in the country, in the wake of their
horrific blackouts during Winter Storm Uri 4 years ago. That is because
solar energy helps keep the lights on.
Unfortunately, Republicans seem uninterested in acknowledging that
basic reality, that solar and wind, partnered with batteries, can be an
essential part of a reliable power grid. Instead, they have done
everything they can to increase the costs of these technologies and
make it harder to add clean energy to the grid. They are using their
power to subsidize dirty, expensive fossil fuel, all at the cost of
American families who are struggling to afford their electricity bills.
{time} 1830
Now, if you don't believe me, just ask Secretary Chris Wright. At an
Energy and Commerce Committee hearing in June, he was blunt. The
Secretary said: ``I have never been for all of the above, and if I said
it at one point in time, I misspoke.'' There you have it, Madam
Speaker.
The Trump administration is staunchly against all of the above. The
Secretary is saying it, and that makes sense. Their actions at least
match their rhetoric. They are doing everything they can to put their
thumb on the scale for dirty energy, including through this bill, H.R.
3628. They are canceling every single clean energy project they
possibly can, no matter how helpful it might be to keeping electricity
bills down or the lights on.
Madam Speaker, the bills on the floor today will only worsen the
Republican affordability crisis. Every time Americans open their power
bill or see their lights flicker, Republicans are responsible. I think
the American people will hold them accountable.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this bill, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Madam Speaker, first, I thank Congressman Evans for sponsoring the
State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act. Let's go back to
what this bill does.
H.R. 3628 directs State public utility commissions to consider
implementing measures that would ensure utilities retain sufficient
reliable generation through their integrated resource plan to maintain
the stability and affordability of their electric grids.
We have had a lot of discussion. We have been debating for the last
few months. The Affordable Care Act passed 15 years ago. Insurance
rates have doubled since that passed, and now, we are debating whether
to deal with the rising costs of health insurance or continue to
subsidize the rising costs. We want to deal with the underlying costs
of health insurance.
We are talking about the affordability of green energy or clean
energy. I am for all of the above, but if you remember what the
Secretary said, he said he is for the best of the above. There are
areas where the Sun shines and the Sun shines bright, and it shines
bright on my old Kentucky home. There are areas for that. There are
areas where solar makes sense, where wind makes sense, and where fossil
fuels make sense.
When he says best of the above, he doesn't mean we don't do all of
it. We do what fits in the right place at the cheapest price for our
citizens. When you talk about investing in your own utilities, if clean
energy--they keep saying they are going to go for more expensive energy
as opposed to the cleaner energy. That is what they say. I will say, I
think our energy companies want to go to the most affordable energy.
That is what they want to produce.
What this does, if you look at the map, and a lot of people have
looked at maps of energy prices, what are the highest cost electric
prices in the country? I know my friend from Colorado
[[Page H5527]]
pointed out to my other friend from Colorado that Colorado is up in the
grid with California, New Jersey, and New York. They have higher energy
prices, and it is because their general assemblies and their State
governments have put additional climate issues in place, not to make
energy more affordable, but it makes it more expensive. What we are
saying here is that State planning commissions have to ensure in their
plans that they look at affordability, reliability, and sustainability
within their grids.
That is what this piece of legislation does. I encourage my
colleagues to vote for it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate on the bill has expired.
Amendment No. 1 Offered by Mr. Moore of West Virginia
The SPEAKER pro tempore. It is now in order to consider amendment No.
1 printed in part D of House Report 119-399.
Mr. MOORE of West Virginia. Madam Speaker, I have an amendment at the
desk.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Add at the end the following section:
SEC. 3. GAO REPORT ON EFFECTIVENESS OF INTEGRATED RESOURCE
PLANNING IN ENSURING SUFFICIENT RELIABLE
GENERATION FACILITIES.
(a) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United
States shall submit to Congress a report on the effectiveness
of integrated resource planning employed by State regulated
electric utilities prior to the implementation of section
111(d)(22) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of
1978 (16 U.S.C. 2621(d)(22)), as added by section 2 of this
Act, in ensuring sufficient reliable generation facilities to
maintain the reliability, stability, and affordability of
electric service for electric consumers.
(b) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Electric consumer; integrated resource planning; state
regulated electric utility.--The terms ``electric consumer'',
``integrated resource planning'', and ``State regulated
electric utility'' have the meanings given such terms,
respectively, in section 3 of the Public Utility Regulatory
Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2602).
(2) Reliable generation facility.--The term ``reliable
generation facility'' has the meaning given such term in
section 111(d)(22) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies
Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2621(d)(22)), as added by section 2 of
this Act.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 936, the
gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. Moore) and a Member opposed each will
control 5 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from West Virginia.
Mr. MOORE of West Virginia. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time
as I may consume.
Under President Joe Biden, energy prices skyrocketed. The Trump
administration is working around the clock to unleash American energy
and drive down prices. Americans are starting to see the results at the
pump and in their energy bills, but this only underscores the need for
more cheap, abundant, and reliable baseload energy to power America's
new golden age.
Currently, States require utilities to develop integrated resource
plans to assess reliable electrical generation and provide affordable
electricity to consumers. These integrated resource plans provide a
framework for producing reliable electricity for American businesses,
hardworking Americans, and families.
Unfortunately, Democrat-led States have used these integrated
resource plans to push woke climate and environmental justice goals,
prioritizing leftwing ideology over making life affordable for American
families. Worst of all, these blue States have required utilities to
shutter baseload power plants while promoting wind and solar.
These reckless policies place our grid at risk and send energy prices
skyrocketing.
Demand for energy will increase by nearly 151 gigawatts over the next
decade. However, another 115 gigawatts of reliable generation have
announced anticipated retirements over that same period. The Department
of Energy projected that of the planned 209 gigawatts of the new
generation by 2030, only 22 gigawatts would come from reliable baseload
generation.
The North American Electric Reliability Corporation called our
electrical reliability crisis a ``five-alarm fire.'' It is clear that
blue States' destructive policies prioritize the green new scam over
reliable power, making our grid more unreliable and life unaffordable
for Americans.
We must act now to ensure baseload power reaches American consumers
and staves off this looming crisis.
My amendment to the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability
Act requires the comptroller general of the Government Accountability
Office to review existing integrated resource plan processes to assess
whether they sufficiently consider reliable generation in their
portfolios.
My amendment requires transparency and ensures reliable baseload
power remains the backbone of our grid.
I urge my colleagues to support this commonsense amendment to deliver
reliable, affordable energy to American households and unleash
America's golden age by ensuring coal, oil, and natural gas remain an
integral piece of our energy mix.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the amendment.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New Jersey is recognized
for 5 minutes.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Chair, I urge opposition to the amendment because
it doubles down on a bogus and misleading definition of ``reliable
generation,'' a definition that would only include coal, natural gas,
and nuclear power plants.
While I would typically have no problem with a GAO report, I do have
a problem with Republicans pretending that fossil fuel generation is
perfect and that there is no room for clean, cheap energy in a
diversified grid.
In the last few years, Republicans have moved away from saying that
clean energy is too expensive and are now claiming it is unreliable.
Madam Speaker, the only reason they have done that is because they have
firmly and permanently lost the argument. Clean energy is cheap energy.
Everyone knows it, even Republicans now.
In their desperation to keep Americans' energy bills high to keep the
profits flowing for oil and gas, Republicans have started peddling the
falsehood that clean energy isn't reliable. I want to be clear: There
is no such thing as a perfectly reliable power plant. They all can run
into problems. Renewables depend on wind and the Sun. Coal and gas
often have issues in extreme heat or cold. That is why it is important
that we pursue an all-of-the-above approach.
Unfortunately, President Trump and his Secretary of Energy don't
believe in all of the above. Instead, Republicans are out here working
overtime to shill for coal and gas. It is just very sad.
Madam Speaker, I urge opposition to the amendment, and I yield back
the balance of my time.
{time} 1840
Mr. MOORE of West Virginia. Madam Speaker, baseload energy in this
country is absolutely quantified and defined by natural gas, nuclear,
and coal. That is baseload energy in this country.
The reason green energy was ever affordable or cheaper is because
everybody in America is subsidizing it right now with their tax
dollars. That is the only reason that it ever became competitive. It is
because we are subsidizing a broken system.
Green energy is consistent in its inability to produce baseload
energy, reliability, or consistency. It is not consistent in its
ability to transmit even down the power lines that are currently in
place, which many times they have to construct new ones.
This is a report--by the way, this is just a report--which I think is
so critical to assessing our plans here to have cheap, abundant,
reliable energy for the United States and the American people.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the previous question
is ordered on the bill and on the amendment offered by the gentleman
from West Virginia (Mr. Moore).
The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from West
Virginia (Mr. Moore).
The amendment was agreed to.
[[Page H5528]]
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the engrossment and third
reading of the bill.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the bill.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings will be postponed.
____________________