Energy

HR 788 requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish formal agreements for joint research and development (R&D) projects. This mandates that small businesses must be included in these collaborative efforts, aligning DOE and SBA missions to advance shared goals like clean energy innovation. The bill creates a two-year reporting requirement for the agencies to Congress, detailing coordination, research achievements, and future collaboration opportunities. It does not authorize new funding and ensures R&D activities comply with existing research security rules.

HRES 161 is a procedural resolution that establishes rules for the House of Representatives to consider three specific measures: (1) a joint resolution disapproving an Energy Department rule on water heater efficiency standards, (2) a joint resolution disapproving an EPA rule on emissions charges for gas systems, and (3) a concurrent resolution setting the federal budget for fiscal year 2025 and future years. It waives procedural objections, sets time limits for debate (one hour each for the first two), and outlines the voting process for these items. This resolution itself does not change policy but enables Congress to vote on the underlying disapproval measures and budget resolution. It affects House members and the legislative process, not direct policy outcomes for the public or industries.

The Protecting American Energy Production Act (HR 26) states that Congress believes states should have primary authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for oil and natural gas on state and private lands. It prohibits the President from imposing a moratorium on fracking without a new law passed by Congress. This bill directly affects federal executive authority by preventing unilateral federal bans and reinforces state regulatory roles. The key provision ensures any federal restriction on fracking would require a specific act of Congress, rather than executive action.

The POWER Act of 2025 amends the Stafford Act to change how electric utilities receive federal disaster aid. It allows utilities to combine cost-effective hazard mitigation (like hardening infrastructure) with emergency power restoration efforts using the same federal funds. Crucially, it ensures that facilities receiving emergency power restoration assistance under Section 403 remain eligible for separate hazard mitigation funding under Section 406 if they meet other requirements. This directly affects electric utilities seeking federal disaster relief, streamlining their access to funding for both immediate recovery and future resilience.