Energy

American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 5 February 2018

American Opportunity Carbon Fee Act of 201 8 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to impose fees on: (1) fossil fuel products producing carbon dioxide emissions, including coal, petroleum products, and natural gas; (2) fluorinated greenhouse gases; (3) emissions of any greenhouse gas from any greenhouse gas emissions source; and (4) associated emissions (attributable to venting, flaring, and leakage across the supply chain). The bill directs the Department of the Treasury to: establish, implement, and report on a program to identify all major source categories of associated emissions and collect data on associated emissions from the coal, petroleum products, and natural gas supply chains; make specified adjustments to the new fees for importers and exporters of energy-intensive manufactured goods; make a specified payment each calendar year to certain Social Security beneficiaries, veterans, and disabled individuals; make cost mitigation grants to states to assist low-income and rural households and provide job training and worker transition assistance; and establish a website to make regular disclosures concerning revenue, tax savings, and benefits attributable to this bill. The bill also allows a new carbon fee offset tax credit for the lesser of: 6.2% of earned income, or $800.

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY: MANAGEMENT AND PRIORITIES

United States · United States House of Representatives · 30 January 2018

Dry Cask Storage Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 29 January 2018

Dry Cask Storage Act of 2018 This bill amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to require each licensee of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to submit a plan for: (1) transfer (including on-going additional transfers) to spent nuclear fuel dry casks of any spent nuclear fuel stored by the licensee for at least seven years in spent nuclear fuel pools, and (2) configuration of the remaining spent nuclear fuel in the pool in a manner that minimizes the chance of a fire if there is a loss of water in the pool. The NRC must approve or disapprove the plan within 90 days after its submission. The NRC may provide grants to any licensee with an approved plan to assist in the cost of transferring spent nuclear fuel to dry casks under the plan. The bill requires the emergency planning zone applicable to each civilian nuclear power reactor to be at least 10 miles in radius until all spent nuclear fuel at the reactor has been transferred to dry casks. The NRC must expand to 50 miles in radius the emergency planning zone applicable to each reactor not in compliance with an approved plan. The licensee is responsible for all costs associated with the expansion. The Department of the Treasury must transfer annually to the NRC, to pay the costs of the grants program, 10% of the interest generated during the preceding fiscal year from investments of the Nuclear Waste Fund.

THE ROAD TO TOMORROW: ENERGY INNOVATION IN AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

United States · United States Senate · 25 January 2018

End The Shutdown Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 22 January 2018

End The Shutdown Act of 2018 This bill amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 to extend the expiration date of the FY2018 Continuing Resolution (CR) from January 19, 2018, to January 26, 2018. The bill provides continuing appropriations for federal agencies through the earlier of January 26, 2018, or the enactment of the applicable appropriations legislation. It ends the government shutdown that began when the existing CR expired because none of the 12 FY2018 regular appropriations bills that fund the federal government have been enacted. The bill also provides funding flexibility or additional funding for specified accounts within the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Energy, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

End The Shutdown Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 20 January 2018

End The Shutdown Act of 2018 This bill amends the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 to extend the expiration date of the FY2018 Continuing Resolution (CR) from January 19, 2018, to January 23, 2018. The bill provides continuing appropriations for federal agencies through the earlier of January 23, 2018, or the enactment of the applicable appropriations legislation. It ends the government shutdown that began when the existing CR expired because none of the 12 FY2018 regular appropriations bills that fund the federal government have been enacted. The bill also provides funding flexibility or additional funding for specified accounts within the Department of Defense, the Department of Agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Energy, the Small Business Administration, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Commonsense Flood Prevention Act

United States · United States Congress · 19 January 2018

Commonsense Flood Prevention Act This bill requires the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to examine the license for the Toledo Bend Hydroelectric Project (located on the Sabine River in Panola, Shelby, Sabine, and Newton Counties in Texas and DeSoto, Sabine, and Vernon Parishes in Louisiana) and the Medina Dam Project (located on the Medina River in Medina County, Texas).

Francis R. Fannon, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Energy Resources), vice John Stern Wolf.

United States · United States Senate · 18 January 2018

Jackie Wolcott, of Virginia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the International Atomic Energy Agency, with the rank of Ambassador.

United States · United States Senate · 18 January 2018

ENGAGING ENERGY: SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

United States · United States House of Representatives · 18 January 2018

OVERSIGHT HEARING ON EXAMINING THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S ACTIONS TO ELIMINATE ONSHORE ENERGY BURDENS

United States · United States House of Representatives · 18 January 2018

State and Local Fleet Efficiency Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2018

State and Local Fleet Efficiency Act This bill recognizes the authority of states or local governments to require fleet owners or operators to acquire only new fleet vehicles that are alternative fuel or high-efficiency motor vehicles that: operate on natural gas, hydrogen, or biodiesel; are flexible fuel vehicles that operate on gasoline, E85, and M85; are plug-in electric drive vehicles; are propelled solely by a fuel cell that produces power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; are propelled solely by something other than an internal combustion engine and produce power without the use of petroleum or a petroleum-based fuel; or meet a technology or performance-based characteristic that is commercially available. A fleet is a group of 20 or more light-duty motor vehicles, medium-duty motor vehicles, or heavy-duty motor vehicles carrying 14 or more passengers operating primarily in a metropolitan area with a population of more than 250,000 that are: (1) centrally dispatched; or (2) centrally fueled, or capable of being centrally fueled, and controlled by a governmental entity or other person meeting specified criteria. The bill excludes certain motor vehicles from the term "fleet," including vehicles rented to the general public, law enforcement vehicles, and emergency vehicles.

ONSHORE Act

United States · United States Congress · 18 January 2018

Opportunities for the Nation and States to Harness Onshore Resources for Energy Act or the ONSHORE Act This bill addresses onshore oil and gas resources on federal land and non-federal surface estates. The bill allows states with an established permitting and regulatory program to manage certain federal permitting and regulatory responsibilities for oil and gas development on federal lands within their borders. The bill provides a mechanism for states to receive their entitled percentage of sales, bonuses, royalties, and rentals for all public land or deposits located in the state. Certain oil and gas activities conducted on non-federal surface estates do not require a permit. The Department of the Interior must defer to state regulations, guidance, and permit requirements for all activities regarding hydraulic fracturing relating to oil, gas, or geothermal production activities on federal land.

THE DOMESTIC AND GLOBAL ENERGY OUTLOOK FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ENERGY AGENCY

United States · United States Senate · 16 January 2018

Hospital Energy Conservation Act

United States · United States Congress · 12 January 2018

Hospital Energy Conservation Act This bill directs the Department of Energy to establish a pilot program to award grants and loan guarantees to no more than six hospitals during FY2019-FY2020 to carry out energy conservation projects for: (1) significantly improving energy efficiency; and (2) encouraging on-site power generation and energy storage, capable of operating independent of the grid, and providing sufficient on-site emergency backup power for essential hospital functions.

Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2018

Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2018 This bill provides for additional disaster-recovery assistance and other assistance to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with respect to infrastructure, health care, agriculture, education, economic development, and environmental remediation, among other sectors. Specifically, regarding both territories, the bill: provides for the use of certain emergency assistance to rebuild electric grids; establishes grant programs to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy; subject to oversight requirements, increases funding for transportation infrastructure, telecommunications systems, housing, and community development; increases funding for Medicaid and Medicare; temporarily increases social-services block-grant allotments; increases funding for, and otherwise revises, rural and agricultural programs; increases funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs; provides for aid to the Head Start program, elementary and secondary education programs, and higher education programs;   increases funding for training and employment services; modifies provisions concerning unemployment assistance, taxation, and federal permitting; increases funding for economic and community development programs; increases funding for environmental remediation; requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to submit to Congress a disaster-relief plan; and otherwise modifies provisions related to emergency funding and disaster-recovery assistance. In addition, the bill: extends Medicaid waiver authority to all territories, provides for Medicaid disproportionate share hospital allotments to the territories, and otherwise revises the Medicaid and Medicare programs with respect to the territories; provides for health-insurance coverage for individuals residing in territories without health exchanges; extends participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Supplemental Security Income Program to all territories; modifies provisions concerning the earned-income tax credit and the child tax credit with respect to the territories; and  modifies provisions concerning the application of certain workers' protections in Puerto Rico.

Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 11 January 2018

Protecting and Securing Florida's Coastline Act of 2018 This bill amends the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 to permanently extend the moratorium on oil and gas leasing, preleasing, and related activities in certain areas of the Gulf of Mexico.

Florida Coastal Protection Act

United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2018

Florida Coastal Protection Act This bill amends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to prohibit the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from offering any tract for oil and gas leasing or preleasing in the following areas: the Eastern Gulf of Mexico Planning Area that is within 125 miles of the coastline of Florida, the South Atlantic Planning Area that is south of 30 degrees 43 minutes North Latitude, or the Straits of Florida Planning Area.

A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on the value of the bilateral relationship between the United States and Mexico.

United States · United States Congress · 10 January 2018

Declares that: (1) the Senate values the U.S.-Mexico relationship and the benefits derived from cooperation on security, combating transnational crime, energy, economic engagement, and cultural engagement; and (2) such relationship is strengthened by interaction between people of such countries and economic interaction. Recognizes that: (1) implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994 and the resulting increase in trade have provided a platform for cooperation with Mexico; and (2) Mexico is an essential U.S. partner in regional security. Encourages the President to strengthen U.S.-Mexico ties to help advance U.S. regional interests. Encourages U.S. drug enforcement agencies to continue developing strong cooperative measures with Mexico. Encourages the President to work toward modernization of NAFTA in a way that strengthens it. Stresses the importance of NAFTA to the U.S. economy and to the bilateral relationship with Mexico.

DOE MODERNIZATION: ADVANCING DOE'S MISSION FOR NATIONAL, ECONOMIC, AND ENERGY SECURITY OF THE UNITED STATES

United States · United States House of Representatives · 9 January 2018

Anne Marie White, of Michigan, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Environmental Management), vice Monica C. Regalbuto.

United States · United States Senate · 8 January 2018

IMPACT for Energy Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2017

Increasing and Mobilizing Partnerships to Achieve Commercialization of Technologies for Energy Act or the IMPACT for Energy Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a nonprofit corporation named the IMPACT for Energy Foundation that provides a mechanism to channel private sector investment into commercial innovative technologies in energy.

IMPACT for Energy Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2017

Increasing and Mobilizing Partnerships to Achieve Commercialization of Technologies for Energy Act or the IMPACT for Energy Act This bill requires the Department of Energy to establish a nonprofit corporation named the IMPACT for Energy Foundation that provides a mechanism to channel private sector investment into commercial innovative technologies in energy.

Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act

United States · United States Congress · 20 December 2017

Promoting Hydropower Development at Existing Nonpowered Dams Act This bill amends the Federal Power Act to authorize the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to establish an expedited process for issuing and amending licenses and preliminary permits for new hydropower facilities at existing nonpowered dams. Before licensing the hydropower facility, FERC must assess the safety of existing nonfederal dams and other nonfederal structures. Licensees of hydropower facility are not required to pay an annual charge for administrative expenses until construction commences.

Lisa Gordon-Hagerty, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary for Nuclear Security, Department of Energy, vice Frank G. Klotz, resigned.

United States · United States Senate · 19 December 2017

Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2018

United States · United States Congress · 18 December 2017

Low-Dose Radiation Research Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Energy to carry out a research program on low-dose radiation to enhance the scientific understanding of the effects of exposure and to improve risk-assessment and risk-management methods. "Low-dose radiation" is defined as a dose less than 100 millisieverts. (The Nuclear Regulatory Commission limits an adult's annual occupational radiation dose to 50 millisieverts.)

Recovering America's Wildlife Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2017

Recovering America's Wildlife Act This bill amends the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to direct the Department of the Treasury to transfer, beginning in FY2018, revenues from energy and mineral development on federal lands totaling $1.3 billion to the Wildlife Conservation and Restoration Subaccount of the Federal Aid to Wildlife Restoration Fund, to be available without further appropriation. The bill revises the requirements governing how the funds from the subaccount may be used, including by requiring funds to be used to develop, revise, and implement state wildlife conservation strategies. The bill expands the allowable uses of the subaccount, including by allowing funds to be used for managing invasive and nuisance species and for law enforcement activities that are directly related to the conservation of species of the greatest conservation need. Funds apportioned from the subaccount may not be conditioned upon the provision of public access to private lands, waters, or holdings. The bill specifies what types of funds and donations states may use to meet matching fund requirements. The bill revises the formula used to determine how funds are distributed to states.

Next Generation GRID Act

United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2017

Next Generation Grid Resources and Infrastructure Development Act or the Next Generation GRID Act This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to (1) establish a right of interconnection for distributed energy resources, (2) require each electric utility to develop an electricity distribution resource plan, (3) require each state to consider non-wire alternatives for allowing an electric utility to recover costs associated with an electricity transmission and distribution project, (4) require the Department of Energy to establish a pilot program for a distribution system operator, and (5) require each state to consider the use of performance-based incentive mechanisms to achieve its public interest goals.

Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 14 December 2017

Energy Storage Tax Incentive and Deployment Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow tax credits for: (1) energy storage technologies, and (2) battery storage technology. The bill expands the tax credit for investments in energy property to include equipment that: (1) receives, stores, and delivers energy using batteries, compressed air, pumped hydropower, hydrogen storage (including hydrolysis), thermal energy storage, regenerative fuel cells, flywheels, capacitors, superconducting magnets, or other technologies identified by the Internal Revenue Service; and (2) has a capacity of at least five kilowatt hours. The bill also expands the tax credit for residential energy efficient property to include expenditures for battery storage technology that: (1) is installed on or in connection with a dwelling unit located in the United States and used as a residence by the taxpayer, and (2) has a capacity of at least three kilowatt hours.

THE IMPACTS AND FUTURE OF NORTH AMERICAN ENERGY TRADE

United States · United States House of Representatives · 13 December 2017

ADVANCING SOLAR ENERGY TECHNOLOGY: RESEARCH TRUMPS DEPLOYMENT

United States · United States House of Representatives · 13 December 2017

Prioritizing Energy-Efficient Renewables Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 13 December 2017

Prioritizing Energy-Efficient Renewables Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) make permanent the tax credits for producing electricity from wind, geothermal energy, hydropower, and marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy facilities; (2) repeal the tax deduction for intangible drilling and development costs for oil and gas wells; (3) repeal the tax deduction for income attributable to the production, refining, transportation, or distribution of oil, natural gas, or any primary product thereof; and (4) repeal the percentage depletion allowance for oil and gas wells.

EUROPEAN ENERGY SECURITY: U.S. INTERESTS AND COERCIVE RUSSIAN DIPLOMACY

United States · United States Senate · 12 December 2017

PERMITTING PROCESSES AT THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND THE FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION FOR ENERGY AND RESOURCE INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF FEDERAL DECISIONS FOR SUCH PROJECTS

United States · United States Senate · 12 December 2017

Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2017

Ensuring Small Scale LNG Certainty and Access Act This bill amends the Natural Gas Act to state that an application under the Natural Gas Act for the importation or exportation of natural gas that does not exceed 0.14 billion cubic feet per day shall be granted without modification or delay.

Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act

United States · United States Congress · 11 December 2017

Unlocking Our Domestic LNG Potential Act This bill amends the Natural Gas Act to grant the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission the exclusive authority to approve or deny an application for the siting, construction, expansion, or operation of a facility to export natural gas from the United States to a foreign country or import natural gas from a foreign country, including a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal. The bill states that nothing in the Natural Gas Act limits the authority of the President under any provision of law that imposes sanctions on a foreign person or government, including a foreign government that is designated as a state sponsor of terrorism, to prohibit imports or exports.

Cooperative Research and Development Fund Authorization Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2017

Cooperative Research and Development Fund Authorization Act of 2017 This bill directs the Department of Energy (DOE) to make funds available to DOE national laboratories for the federal cost share of cooperative research and development agreements that support the maturing of laboratory technology and the transferring of it to the private sector. DOE shall: (1) determine the apportionment of such funds to each DOE national laboratory, (2) ensure that special consideration is given to small business firms and consortia involving such firms in the selection of which agreements will receive such funds, and (3) ensure that certain performance evaluation metrics are used.

Geoengineering Research Evaluation Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 7 December 2017

Geoengineering Research Evaluation Act of 2017 This bill requires the Department of Energy to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study and develop: (1) a Phase I report recommending a research agenda for advancing understanding of albedo modification strategies that involve atmospheric interventions, such as cloud modification; and (2) a Phase II report that provides specific guidance on governance mechanisms for the proposed research agenda developed in Phase I. Generally, albedo modifications are geoengineering strategies that are designed to manipulate the climate and reduce the amount of radiation that is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere by reflecting light. After the completion of the Phase II report, the Office of Science and Technology Policy must report to Congress on an implementation plan for geoengineering research and research governance.

Enhancing Geothermal Production on Federal Lands Act

United States · United States Congress · 6 December 2017

Enhancing Geothermal Production on Federal Lands Act This bill amends the Geothermal Steam Act of 1970 to allow the Department of the Interior to award noncompetitive leases on up to 640 acres of certain federal land for geothermal development. Interior must lease the land at fair market value, publish a notice of any lease requests, and provide review of the final determination of fair market value. Lessees must make annual rental payments equal to those required for lands that are leased competitively. The bill exempts geothermal exploration test projects from complying with environmental review requirements under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA). Interior must designate portions of certain federal land as geothermal leasing priority areas. The bill sets forth requirements for environmental review under NEPA with respect to the priority areas.

Green Banking Act

United States · United States Congress · 4 December 2017

Green Banking Act This bill amends the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 to allow bank holding companies to own up to 20% of companies engaged solely in producing or storing renewable energy power, such as wind and solar power. This allowance terminates 30 years after enactment of this bill unless Congress enacts a joint resolution of approval. This bill amends the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 to require both the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) to develop underwriting guidelines for financing residential solar energy systems to facilitate the secondary market for mortgages on housing with such systems for low- and moderate-income households. The Federal Housing Finance Agency must identify ways to increase the financing for residential solar energy system property improvements in underserved markets.

Jobs for Tribes Act

United States · United States Congress · 30 November 2017

Jobs for Tribes Act Indian Community Economic Enhancement Act of 2017 This bill amends the Native American Business Development, Trade Promotion, and Tourism Act of 2000 to establish duties for the Office of Native American Business Development. This bill amends the Buy Indian Act, including to require the Department of Health and Human Services to use Native American labor and purchase Native American industry products. This bill amends the Native American Programs Act of 1974 to permit the Bureau of Indian Affairs to provide financial assistance to certain Native American community development financial institutions. Native American Business Incubators Program Act The Department of the Interior must establish a grant program in the Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development for establishing and operating business incubators that serve Native American communities. A business incubator is an organization that: (1) provides physical workspace and facilities resources to startups and established businesses, and (2) is designed to accelerate the growth and success of businesses through a variety of business support resources and services. Indigenous Peoples Exchange and Economic Cooperation Act The President must submit to Congress a strategy to promote and facilitate: (1) cross-investments between tribes and indigenous peoples in tribal businesses and commercial enterprises that involve indigenous peoples, and (2) the development of supply chains for U.S. entities that include products produced by tribes and indigenous peoples. The Department of State must provide assistance to countries in the Western Hemisphere in a manner that promotes and facilitates entrepreneurship among indigenous peoples.

PURPA Modernization Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 29 November 2017

PURPA Modernization Act of 2017 This bill amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to address the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) one-mile rule and the mandatory purchase obligation for electric utility companies to purchase energy from certain facilities. The bill directs FERC to publish a final rule that allows any person or entity to provide a rebuttable presumption to the one-mile rule. Under the one-mile rule, facilities are considered to be located at the same site as the facility for which qualification is sought if they are located within one mile of such facility. Specified factors must be taken into consideration by FERC when it determines whether two facilities are located at the same site. The bill authorizes an electric utility company to waive the mandatory purchase obligation if additional power is not required to meet customers' electricity needs.

Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 28 November 2017

Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands Equitable Rebuild Act of 2017 This bill provides for additional disaster-recovery assistance and other assistance to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands with respect to infrastructure, health care, agriculture, education, economic development, and environmental remediation, among other sectors. Specifically, regarding both territories, the bill: provides for the use of certain emergency assistance to rebuild electric grids; establishes several grant programs to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy; subject to specified oversight requirements, increases funding for transportation infrastructure, telecommunications systems, housing, and community development; increases funding for the Medicaid and Medicare programs; temporarily increases social-services block-grant allotments; increases funding for, and otherwise revises, rural and agricultural programs; increases funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs; provides for aid to the Head Start program, elementary and secondary education programs, and higher education programs; increases funding for training and employment services; modifies provisions concerning the earned-income tax credit, the child tax credit, and unemployment assistance; increases funding for economic and community development programs; increases funding for environmental remediation; and otherwise modifies provisions related to emergency funding and disaster-recovery assistance. In addition, the bill: extends Medicaid waiver authority to all territories, provides for Medicaid disproportionate share hospital allotments to the territories, and otherwise revises the Medicaid and Medicare programs with respect to the territories; extends participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to all territories; modifies provisions concerning the application of certain workers' protections in Puerto Rico; and requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to submit to Congress a long-term disaster-relief plan with respect to Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands.

An original bill to provide for reconciliation pursuant to title II of the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.

United States · United States Congress · 28 November 2017

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to reduce tax rates and modify policies, credits, and deductions for individuals and businesses. With respect to individuals, the bill: replaces the existing tax brackets (10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, 35%, and 39.6%) with new tax brackets (10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35%, and 38.5%); increases the standard deduction; suspends the deduction for personal exemptions; allows a deduction for business income of pass-through entities (i.e., partnerships, S corporations, limited liability companies, sole proprietorships); increases the child tax credit and allows a credit for dependents who are not children; suspends the deduction for state and local taxes not incurred in carrying on a trade or business or an activity for the production of income; suspends the deduction for home equity loan interest; repeals the penalty for individuals who fail to maintain minimum essential health coverage as required by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (commonly referred to as the individual mandate); suspends the overall limitation on certain itemized deductions; suspends the alternative minimum tax for individuals; and doubles the basic exemption amount for the estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer taxes. Many of the provisions in the bill that affect individual taxpayers expire after 2025. For businesses, the bill: permanently reduces the corporate tax rate from a maximum of 35% to a flat 20% rate, permanently repeals the alternative minimum tax for corporations, allows increased expensing of the costs of certain property, repeals the deduction for income attributable to domestic production activities, modifies the net operating loss deduction, limits the deductibility of net interest expenses to 30% percent of the business's adjusted taxable income, and modifies the taxation of foreign income. The bill also: (1) repeals or modifies several additional credits and deductions for individuals and businesses, (2) directs the Department of the Interior to implement an oil and gas leasing program for the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska, and (3) directs the Department of Energy to draw down and sell oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Melissa F. Burnison, of Kentucky, to be an Assistant Secretary of Energy (Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs), vice Bradley Crowell.

United States · United States Senate · 16 November 2017

Linda Capuano, of Texas, to be Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, vice Adam E. Sieminski.

United States · United States Senate · 16 November 2017

John G. Vonglis, of New York, to be Chief Financial Officer, Department of Energy, vice Joseph S. Hezir.

United States · United States Senate · 16 November 2017

Sustainable Energy Development Reform Act

United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017

Sustainable Energy Development Reform Act This bill addresses sustainable energy development, including to (1) increase royalty rates and penalties for oil and gas leasing; (2) increase the amount of renewable energy on public land and waters; (3) prepare and manage for the impacts of climate change; (4) revise the onshore and offshore fossil fuel leasing, exploration, and development program; and (5) include the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System and reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Having Open Access to Relevant Data Act or the Hoard Act The bill requires the Department of the Interior to submit to Congress a report on the number and age of unused approved oil and gas drilling permits and the average cost to the Bureau of Land Management of approving such permits.

Removing Nuclear Waste from our Communities Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017

Removing Nuclear Waste from our Communities Act of 2017 This bill amends the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 to authorize the Department of Energy (DOE) to enter into new contracts (or modify existing contracts) with the licensee of an interim consolidated storage facility in order to take title to and store in it either high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel of domestic origin. The bill defines: "interim consolidated storage facility" as a facility licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for the storage of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel received from DOE or from two or more persons that generate or hold title to such fuel generated at a civilian nuclear power reactor, and "high-level radioactive waste" as including Greater than Class C waste. The bill assigns priority to storage of such waste and spent fuel located on sites without an operating nuclear reactor and with over 15 million residents within a 50-mile radius. The bill makes appropriations targeted for the Nuclear Waste Fund available to pay for costs in connection with storage in an interim consolidated storage facility. Beginning in FY2020 DOE shall not expend, on fees for dry modes of storage of high-level radioactive waste or spent nuclear fuel, any amounts exceeding the cumulative amount of interest generated by the fund each fiscal year.

Safe and Secure Decommissioning Act of 2017

United States · United States Congress · 16 November 2017

Safe and Secure Decommissioning Act of 2017 This bill amends the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 to prohibit the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from approving the request of a licensee for a waiver of, or exemption from, a covered regulation applicable to a civilian nuclear power reactor that has permanently ceased to operate. A covered regulation includes: (1) an emergency preparedness or response regulation or requirement, or (2) a security regulation or requirement applicable to spent nuclear fuel. This prohibition shall not apply to a civilian nuclear power reactor at which all spent nuclear fuel has been transferred to spent nuclear fuel dry casks.