The Climate Playbook--Replay contains information on recent climate action in Congress, including bill updates, Committee and House votes, and new bills reflected in The Climate Playbook.

Playbook Bills that Passed the Energy and Commerce Committee

H.R. 1315 - Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act

• H.R. 1315 amends section 211 of the Department of Energy Organization Act to rename the Office of Minority Economic Impact as the Office of Economic Impact, Diversity, and Employment. It creates an Energy Workforce Grant Program that will expand U.S. employment opportunities for minority workers in solar, wind, energy efficiency, clean vehicles, energy storage, and related clean energy jobs.

H.R. 2665 - Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2019

• H.R. 2665 establishes a smart energy and water efficiency management program within the Department of Energy to award grants to entities that demonstrate advanced and innovative technology-based solutions.

H.R. 2044 - Smart Building Acceleration Act

• H.R. 2044 would require the Department of Energy to conduct a survey of smart buildings across the country, establish an initiative to implement smart building technology at one or more buildings under several Federal agencies, and develop a smart building initiative to demonstrate policies and approaches that facilitate the transition to smart buildings under the umbrella of the DOE Better Buildings Challenge.

H.R. 359 - Enhancing Grid Security through Public-Private Partnerships Act 

• H.R. 359 directs the Department of Energy to facilitate and encourage public-private partnerships to improve cybersecurity of electric utilities. The legislation would improve sharing of best practices and data collection, along with providing training and technical assistance to electric utilities to address and mitigate cybersecurity risks.

H.R. 360 - Cyber Sense of 2019

• H.R. 360 creates a voluntary Department of Energy ‘Cyber Sense’ program that would identify and promote cyber-secure products for use in the bulk-power system. The bill also establishes a testing process for the products along with a reporting process of cybersecurity vulnerabilities. It would require the Secretary of Energy to keep a related database on the products. This would aid electric utilities that are evaluating products and their potential to harm the electric grid.

H.R. 362 - Energy Emergency Leadership Act

• H.R. 362 creates a new Department of Energy Assistant Secretary position with jurisdiction over all energy emergency and security functions related to energy supply, infrastructure, and cybersecurity. 

H.R. 370 - Pipeline and LNG Facility Cybersecurity Preparedness Act

• H.R. 370 requires the Secretary to carry out a program to establish policies and procedures that would improve the physical and cyber security of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines, hazardous liquid pipelines, and liquefied natural gas facilities. This is a modest but critically important bill to ensure secure, reliable energy delivery.

H.R. 2088 - To amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to reauthorize the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program

• H.R. 2088 amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to reauthorize the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. It would reauthorize the program to provide $3.5 billion annually from Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 through FY 2025. In addition, the bill includes a goal to diversify energy supplies by promoting use of alternative fuels.

H.R. 2041 - Weatherization Enhancement and Local Energy Efficiency Investment and Accountability Act 

• H.R. 2041 extends and strengthens the U.S. Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program, which helps low-income households insulate their homes from extreme heat and cold and make other cost-effective investments in home energy efficiency upgrades.

H.R. 2119 - To Amend the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize grants for improving the energy efficiency of public buildings, and for other purposes

• H.R. 2119 amends Energy Policy Act of 2005 to reauthorize grants for improving the energy efficiency of public buildings. It would authorize $100 million annually from FY 2021 through FY 2025 for an existing grant program, administered by the Department of Energy, that provides money for states to improve the energy efficiency of state and local public facilities. 

Bills Added to the Playbook

H.R. 2256 - Driving America Forward Act

• H.R. 2256 increases the number of consumers eligible for a tax credit after purchasing a qualifying vehicle. Current law allows for consumers to receive a $7,500 tax credit once the cap of 200,000 of vehicles is met. Consumers have through the calendar quarter after the cap is hit to receive the full tax credit, after that the value of the credit decreases to 50% and 25% over the next 12 months and then it is phased out entirely. This bill raises the cap to 600,000 vehicles per manufacturer and allows for a $7,000 credit through the calendar quarter after the cap is reached. The credit value is decreased to 50% and then phased out entirely after six months. Under the new bill the $7,500 tax credit is still available for first 200,000 vehicles sold. The bill would also allow the hydrogen fuel cell credit to extend for ten years, through 2028. 

H.R. 1317 - Coastal Communities Adaptation Act

• H.R. 1317 authorizes the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) to carry out research on disaster resiliency. The bill will also provide grants to coastal communities and directs the Secretary of Commerce to award competitive prizes to advance coastal risk reduction and resilience measures.. 

H.R. 2326 - Climate Solutions Commission Act

• H.R. 2326 would establish the bipartisan National Climate Solutions Commission which will make recommendations on how to best reduce non-sequestered greenhouse gas emissions based on the findings of the scientific community. The commission will 1) undertake a comprehensive review of economically viable public and private actions or policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 2) make recommendations to the President, Congress and the States; and 3) set goals for emissions reductions using estimated rates of reduction that reflect the latest scientific findings of what is needed to avoid serious health and environmental consequences.

H.R. 2995 - Spent Fuel Prioritization Act

• H.R. 2995 prioritizes the removal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) from nuclear power plants that are decommissioned, located near large populations, and are at high risk for earthquakes. This prioritization ensures that SNF will be removed first from those areas that pose the highest risk to the surrounding population.

H.R. 2699 - Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2019

• H.R. 2699 amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to advance both interim and permanent spent nuclear fuel (SNF) disposal solutions in order to securely removal SNF from our communities. The bill moves to complete a repository license for a long-term SNF storage site, while also directing the Department of Energy to pursue interim storage solutions until long-term storage becomes available. Finally, this bill creates a dialogue between stakeholders and the federal government to ensure adequate funding for multi-generational nuclear storage infrastructure.

H.R. 3136 - Storage and Transportation Of Residual and Excess Nuclear Fuel Act of 2019

• H.R. 3136 provides a framework to develop consolidated interim storage for spent nuclear fuel (SNF), ensuring that SNF currently located at nuclear power plants will be held in a more secure location until long-term disposal becomes available.

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