[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 24, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S3231]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 6021. Mrs. SHAHEEN submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
by her to the bill S. 4784, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 
2027 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military 
construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, 
to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for 
other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of subtitle G of title X, add the following:

     SEC. 1___. ENERGY CIRCUIT RIDER PROGRAM.

       Subtitle D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
     Act is amended by inserting after section 378 (7 U.S.C. 
     2008m) the following:

     ``SEC. 379. ENERGY CIRCUIT RIDER PROGRAM.

       ``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means--
       ``(A) a State;
       ``(B) an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the 
     Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 
     U.S.C. 5304));
       ``(C) a nonprofit organization;
       ``(D) a cooperative extension service;
       ``(E) an institution of higher education; and
       ``(F) a regional planning commission or other public entity 
     serving 2 or more rural areas.
       ``(2) Energy circuit rider.--The term `Energy Circuit 
     Rider' means an individual who is trained to provide and 
     support, on a professional basis, assistance (including 
     technical assistance) and informed decisionmaking in the 
     planning, financing, and implementation of energy efficiency 
     or clean energy projects, including with respect to 1 or more 
     of the following:
       ``(A) Energy planning.
       ``(B) Energy audits.
       ``(C) Applicable Federal funding opportunities and tax 
     incentives.
       ``(D) Applicable State, local, and utility-based 
     incentives, including, as appropriate, coordinating with the 
     State energy office in that State.
       ``(E) Project financing.
       ``(F) Grant writing.
       ``(G) Community-based capacity building.
       ``(3) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary, 
     acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development.
       ``(b) Establishment.--The Secretary shall establish a 
     program, to be known as the `Energy Circuit Rider Program', 
     under which the Secretary shall provide to eligible entities 
     grants for the hiring, training, and retention by eligible 
     entities of 1 or more Energy Circuit Riders.
       ``(c) Grants.--
       ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to receive a grant under 
     the Energy Circuit Rider Program, an eligible entity shall 
     submit to the Secretary an application at such time, in such 
     manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may 
     require.
       ``(2) Term.--The term of a grant provided under the Energy 
     Circuit Rider Program shall be more than 3, but not more than 
     6, years, as the Secretary determines to be appropriate to 
     achieve the purposes of this section.
       ``(3) Federal share.--The Federal share of the cost of 
     carrying out activities under the grant shall be not more 
     than 75 percent.
       ``(4) Priority.--In providing grants under the Energy 
     Circuit Rider Program, the Secretary shall give priority to 
     an eligible entity the application under paragraph (1) of 
     which is recommended by the director of the relevant State 
     rural development office.
       ``(d) Energy Circuit Rider Assistance.--An Energy Circuit 
     Rider employed by an eligible entity using a grant provided 
     under this section--
       ``(1) shall offer assistance and support described in 
     subsection (a)(2) to not fewer than 2 rural areas served by, 
     or in the vicinity of, the eligible entity; and
       ``(2) may provide technical assistance to the eligible 
     entity in applying for--
       ``(A) loans under section 6407(c) of the Farm Security and 
     Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107a(c)); and
       ``(B) financial assistance under the Rural Energy for 
     America Program established under section 9007 of that Act (7 
     U.S.C. 8107).
       ``(e) Information Sharing.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall facilitate the 
     sharing among Energy Circuit Riders of information relating 
     to best practices.
       ``(2) Information from other agencies.--The Secretary, in 
     consultation with the Secretary of Energy, the Secretary of 
     Transportation, the Secretary of the Treasury, the 
     Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the 
     Chief of Engineers, and the heads of such other Federal 
     departments and agencies as the Secretary determines to be 
     appropriate, shall make available to Energy Circuit Riders 
     information relating to other Federal incentives available to 
     eligible entities for energy efficiency and clean energy 
     projects.
       ``(f) Reports to Congress.--Not less frequently than 
     annually, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
     describing the accomplishments of the Energy Circuit Rider 
     Program, including with respect to--
       ``(1) energy savings;
       ``(2) monetary savings to communities; and
       ``(3) reductions in carbon emissions.
       ``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
     $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2027 through 2031.''.
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