Restoring Renewable Energy Parity Act
- Bill Number
- S. 4721
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-19T05:08:23Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation aims to block or reverse specific executive branch actions that restrict or disadvantage wind, solar, and geothermal energy development, while restoring access to federal processes and funding for these renewable sources.
Key Provisions
- Prevention and repeal of executive actions:
- Discontinues the Department of Commerce’s Section 232 national security investigation into wind turbine imports.
- Prohibits the Department of Health and Human Services from taking actions that hinder wind, solar, or geothermal projects.
- Nullifies 10 listed executive documents, including Executive Order 14315, a January 2025 presidential memorandum on offshore wind leasing, multiple Interior Department Secretarial Orders (3417, 3418, 3437, 3438), Interior and Agriculture Department memoranda, IRS Notice 2025-42 on clean energy tax credits, and Army Corps of Engineers guidance. No federal funds may support these documents.
- Bars the President or agencies from reissuing substantially similar orders, memoranda, or guidance without new congressional authorization.
- Requires the Secretary of Defense to approve pending mitigation agreements for wind, solar, transmission, or distribution projects within 30 days.
- IPaC Portal access: Directs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to allow use of its Information for Planning and Consultation Portal for wind, solar, geothermal, or storage project permits.
- Financial assistance rules: Agencies must decide continuation applications (requests to extend multi-year federal awards) within 60 days or treat them as approved; approved continuations retain the original terms.
- Rescission limit: Prohibits rescinding appropriated funds for fiscal years 2026 or 2027 except through new appropriation legislation.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill overrides existing executive authority by nullifying specific orders and guidance issued in 2025 and imposes a congressional veto on future similar actions. It also creates new statutory deadlines for agency decisions on permits and funding continuations, and mandates expedited action by the Department of Defense on mitigation agreements.
Potential Impacts
- Government agencies: Limits discretion at the Departments of Commerce, Interior, Agriculture, Defense, Health and Human Services, and the Army Corps of Engineers; requires faster processing by the Fish and Wildlife Service and IRS-related functions.
- Citizens and industry: Facilitates permitting and funding for renewable energy projects, potentially accelerating development of wind, solar, and geothermal facilities.
- International relations: Ends the Section 232 investigation into wind turbine imports, which could affect trade relations with countries supplying those components.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Renewable energy developers and project applicants.
- Federal agencies responsible for energy, environment, defense, and tax administration.
- Congress, which gains oversight over future executive energy actions.
- Communities and industries involved in offshore and onshore renewable projects.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The measure asserts congressional authority over executive energy policy by repealing administrative actions and requiring legislative approval for similar future steps, raising questions about the balance of power between branches. It also limits executive flexibility in managing federal lands, permitting, and appropriations.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-09: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2026-06-09: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Restoring Renewable Energy Parity Act — issued 2026-06-09 — PDF (7 pages)