This joint resolution aims to disapprove and nullify a specific rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). It directly affects the EPA's ability to implement its recent changes to the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program. The bill utilizes the Congressional Review Act to block the EPA's rule, which set biofuel blending standards for 2026 and 2027 and included a partial waiver for 2025 cellulosic biofuel volumes. If passed and signed into law, this resolution would prevent the EPA's new RFS program standards and related provisions from taking effect, thereby maintaining the prior regulatory framework.
This bill amends the tax code to expand the advanced manufacturing production credit for critical minerals. It designates copper as an "applicable critical mineral," making its production eligible for this tax credit. Additionally, the bill allows companies to include the costs of extracting ore that is subsequently refined into an applicable critical mineral when calculating the credit. These extraction costs are eligible only if the ore is from the United States, or, if foreign, is a type not commercially extracted in the U.S. and not from a "foreign country of concern." These changes primarily affect mining and manufacturing companies involved in critical mineral supply chains, applying to minerals produced or costs incurred after December 31, 2025.
The CERTAIN Act aims to expedite federal permitting and environmental reviews for infrastructure projects by imposing strict timelines on federal agencies. It limits an agency's ability to revoke existing project authorizations unless specific conditions are met, such as a court order or immediate harm. The bill mandates deadlines for agencies to process applications, determine completeness, and conduct environmental reviews, with routine authorizations automatically approved if agencies miss their deadlines.
The "Build More Power Act" expands and extends a federal loan guarantee program to support electric generating facilities, particularly those critical for energy reliability. It makes power plants that are required by government orders to continue generating electricity during emergencies eligible for these loan guarantees, even if they might otherwise cease operations, and mandates the Secretary of Energy to solicit applications from them. The bill extends the program's authority until 2032 and sets aside at least $20 billion in loan guarantee capacity specifically for projects at facilities operating under such emergency directives. This impacts owners and operators of power plants, especially those under emergency orders, and the Department of Energy, which must also report to Congress on the program's impact and recommendations for upgrading aging coal facilities.
This bill establishes an Office of Energy Affordability within the Department of Energy, directly affecting the Department's policy-making process and indirectly aiming to influence energy costs for consumers. The Office's primary duty is to review proposed Department regulations or policies related to energy transitions, analyzing their effects on energy affordability, economic costs, and reliable energy access. It must also identify strategies to mitigate negative impacts and promote cost-effective solutions. The Office provides advice and guidance based on its reviews, which must be completed within 30 days, but it cannot prevent the issuance of any regulation. Finally, the Office is mandated to submit annual reports to Congress detailing its findings and recommendations.
HR 8350, the "No Taxes on Utility Bills Act," amends the Internal Revenue Code to create a new federal income tax deduction. This bill allows taxpayers to deduct from their taxable income all taxes and state-mandated surcharges that appear on their gas or electric utility bills. This change directly affects individuals and businesses who pay these utility bills, potentially lowering their federal tax liability. The new deduction would apply to taxable years beginning after the bill becomes law.
The SCOPE Act of 2026 directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to conduct a study and issue guidance for specific industrial facilities, referred to as "direct emitters," regarding the calculation and reporting of their "scope 3 emissions." Scope 3 emissions are defined as indirect greenhouse gas emissions resulting from activities throughout a company's upstream and downstream value chain. Within one year of the bill's enactment, the EPA Administrator must publish comprehensive guidance for these direct emitters. This guidance will include recommended reporting thresholds, standardized calculation methodologies, advice on monitoring frequency, data quality assurance, and recordkeeping requirements for these indirect emissions.
The E-Access Act aims to enhance electric and natural gas consumers' access to their own energy usage and cost information, directly affecting consumers, utilities, and third-party energy management companies. It requires the Department of Energy and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to develop model guidelines for states to standardize secure and timely access to this data for consumers and their authorized third-party designees. These guidelines promote the use of open standards like "Green Button Connect My Data," ensuring data is electronic, machine-readable, and includes privacy protections, while also setting rules for electric meter software platforms to foster fair competition. States that adopt policies aligned with these federal guidelines may receive financial assistance to implement related programs. Additionally, the bill mandates a report on the costs and benefits of using individual meter data for wholesale electricity market settlement.
Gasoline Export Ban Act of 2026 This bill prohibits the exportation of gasoline produced in the United States during certain periods of high gasoline prices. Specifically, the bill directs the President to prohibit the exportation of gasoline produced in the United States during periods when the average price for gasoline in the United States has been equal to or higher than $3.12 per gallon for each of the preceding seven days. The President may exempt from the prohibition exports of gasoline as the President determines to be consistent with the national interest and the purposes of the bill.
This bill establishes a new excise tax on crude oil extracted or imported by large oil companies and uses the revenue to provide rebates to eligible consumers. The tax would be imposed on companies that extract or import over 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day, at a rate of 50% of the difference between the current Brent crude oil price and a 2025 baseline price, adjusted for inflation. All revenue from this tax would be deposited into a new "Protect Consumers from Gas Hikes Fund." This fund would then be used to provide refundable tax credits, or rebates, to eligible individuals, with the rebate amount determined by the Secretary based on fund revenues and the number of eligible individuals. These rebates would be phased out for individuals with adjusted gross incomes exceeding certain thresholds, such as $150,000 for joint filers.
