Energy Bills Relief Act

Bill Number: H.R. 7977
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: Energy
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Last Updated: 2026-07-10T08:06:01Z

AI-Generated Summary

H.R. 7977: Energy Bills Relief Act

Purpose

The legislation aims to reduce high energy bills for American families by promoting low-cost clean energy (wind, solar, geothermal, storage), streamlining permitting and grid upgrades, restoring tax credits and grants cut by prior laws, protecting consumers from market manipulation and cost shifts, and ensuring equitable community engagement in project development.

Key Provisions

Title I: Reversing Attacks on Low-Cost Clean Energy
Repeals rollbacks of clean energy tax credits from H.R. 1 (Public Law 119-21).
Prohibits termination or renegotiation of clean energy grants post-January 19, 2025; reinstates affected awards.
Ensures permitting parity for renewables vs. fossil fuels; mandates timely NEPA reviews and judicial review for suspensions.
Ties emergency power orders to public interest and cost studies.

Title II: Cutting Energy Bills for Families
Expands Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP, renamed Home Energy Assistance Program) with increased funding ($2B+ annually), broader eligibility (up to 250% poverty/80% state median income), year-round operations, and extreme weather aid.
Boosts home weatherization funding (average $12K/unit), adds readiness program for repairs.
Rebates for reflective "cool roofs" ($0.25–$0.75/sq ft) targeting low-income/high-heat areas.
Restricts natural gas exports unless they won't raise prices, harm climate, or burden communities.
Enhances rural energy efficiency loans/grants.

Title III: Unclogging Clean Energy Bottlenecks
FERC rulemaking for faster generator interconnections, cluster studies, and advanced tech.
Incentives for advanced transmission (shared savings 10–25%).
Funds transformer manufacturing ($2.1B) and resilience programs.
Streamlines distributed energy permitting/inspections.
Mandates utility community solar programs; expands in territories.

Title IV: 21st-Century Electricity Grid
FERC amendments: Interregional planning, cost allocation for national facilities, minimum transfer capability (30% peak demand), expanded siting/eminent domain.
Tax credit for transmission lines (6%, up to 30% with labor rules).
Wildfire risk grants ($3B); FERC staffing/fees; state capacity grants; monitors; aggregator bidding; RTO/ISO governance; data/analytics dashboard.

Title V: Clean Energy on Public Lands/Waters
Updates land plans for 60GW renewables by 2035; priority areas; revenue sharing/Fund for conservation.
Geothermal cost recovery; "Gold Book" guidelines.
Offshore: Multi-factor bidding, project labor/domestic content, compensation fund (10% revenues).

Title VI: Protecting Consumers
Ties utility earnings to ratepayer benefits (shared savings, ROE incentives).
Anti-manipulation penalties; large loads bear their grid upgrade costs.
Energy productivity metrics; lifecycle cost assessments; grid scorecards.

Title VII: Community Collaboration
Agency staffing for timely permitting; direct hire authority.
Interagency data standards/portal for NEPA.
Prioritizes projects with community benefits agreements (CBAs).
FERC intervenor funding; senior/Tribal engagement officers; state/local grants ($500M/year).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Repeals/Amendments: Reverses H.R. 1 clean energy cuts; amends Federal Power Act (planning, siting, incentives), LIHEAP (funding/eligibility), Natural Gas Act (exports), OCSLA (offshore leasing).
New Mandates: FERC transmission rules (e.g., 30% interregional capability); NEPA deadlines; utility CBAs prioritized; large-load cost allocation.
Funding Shifts: 25–40% renewable revenues to states/counties/Fund; new tax credits, grants ($ billions for LIHEAP, weatherization, wildfire, etc.).

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Increases workload/budget for FERC, DOE, BLM, Interior (permitting, staffing); streamlines via data tools but mandates timelines.
Citizens: Lowers bills via expanded aid, efficiency, cheap renewables; protects from manipulations/cost shifts; enhances community input/CBAs.
International Relations: Curbs nat gas exports if climate/price risks; boosts clean tech competitiveness.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Consumers/Families: Low-income/rural via aid; all via lower bills/reliability.
Utilities/Developers: Renewables gain permitting/tax boosts; fossils face parity/export limits; transmitters get incentives but scorecards/earnings ties.
States/Tribes/Local Govs: Revenue shares, grants, engagement roles, CBAs.
Environmental/Community Groups: Enhanced input, funding, mitigation.
Industries: Clean energy (wind/solar/geothermal/offshore) accelerated; large loads (e.g., data centers) pay own upgrades.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Expands FERC siting/eminent domain (with landowner protections); judicial review deadlines (30 days); potential challenges to export restrictions/permitting parity as favoring renewables.
Constitutional: Eminent domain for transmission raises Takings Clause issues (mitigated by appraisals/notice); Tribal consultation strengthens sovereignty.
Political: Progressive tilt (clean energy push, fossil curbs); bipartisan rural/low-income aid; enables 60GW public-land renewables by 2035 amid energy security debates.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]

Cosponsors (159)

Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49], Rep. Ansari, Yassamin [D-AZ-3], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Barragán, Nanette Diaz [D-CA-44], Rep. Bell, Wesley [D-MO-1], Rep. Beyer, Donald S. [D-VA-8], Rep. Bonamici, Suzanne [D-OR-1], Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5], Rep. Carbajal, Salud O. [D-CA-24], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Case, Ed [D-HI-1], Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14], Rep. Cherfilus-McCormick, Sheila [D-FL-20], Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-28], Rep. Cisneros, Gilbert Ray [D-CA-31], Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Clyburn, James E. [D-SC-6], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Craig, Angie [D-MN-2], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4], Rep. DelBene, Suzan K. [D-WA-1], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. Dexter, Maxine [D-OR-3], Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], Rep. Elfreth, Sarah [D-MD-3], Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13], Rep. Evans, Dwight [D-PA-3], Rep. Foushee, Valerie P. [D-NC-4], Rep. Frost, Maxwell [D-FL-10], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Goldman, Daniel S. [D-NY-10], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large], Rep. Horsford, Steven [D-NV-4], Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4], Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2], Rep. Jacobs, Sara [D-CA-51], Rep. Jayapal, Pramila [D-WA-7], Rep. Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" [D-GA-4], Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37], Rep. Kelly, Robin L. [D-IL-2], Rep. Krishnamoorthi, Raja [D-IL-8], Rep. Landsman, Greg [D-OH-1], Rep. Latimer, George [D-NY-16], Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12], Rep. Lee, Susie [D-NV-3] and 109 more

Recent Actions

2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Agriculture, Ways and Means, Natural Resources, Financial Services, Transportation and Infrastructure, Education and Workforce, Oversight and Government Reform, and Science, Space, and Technology, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
2026-03-18: Introduced in House
2026-03-18: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

Energy Bills Relief Act — issued 2026-03-18 — PDF (421 pages)