Transmission policy moves through Congress as well as at FERC — in permitting reform, cost allocation, interconnection, and the growing fight over who pays for new large loads. ACEG tracks the bills that would shape how quickly America can build the grid it needs.
Below is the legislation we’re following, with sponsors, a short description of what each bill would do, and a link to the text. Bills marked with an asterisk (*) were last introduced in a prior Congress; we’re watching for reintroduction.
Last updated: July 31, 2026.
119th Congress
Hickenlooper Draft Transmission Bill
Lead Sponsor: Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
To amend the Federal Power Act to improve the processes, protections, and incentives relating to the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce.
Reconductoring Existing Wires for Infrastructure Reliability and Expansions Act (REWIRE Act)
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT)
To amend the Federal Power Act to establish a categorical exclusion for reconductoring within existing rights-of-way.
Power for the People Act
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
Other Sponsors: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Sen. Tina Smith (D-MN), Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD)
To promote the creation of data center load queues and data center-specific rate classes to mitigate the impact of data centers on other electricity consumers, and for other purposes.
Create Expedited Reviews to Transform American Infrastructure Now (CERTAIN) Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA), Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-NM)
To establish provisions for permitting certainty, standardizing timelines, improving interagency coordination, clarifying judicial review, and enhancing agency capacity.
Decentralized Access to Technology Alternatives (DATA) Act of 2026
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR)
To amend the Federal Power Act to exempt consumer-regulated electric utilities from Federal regulation, and for other purposes.
H.R. 7043 — Transmission Facilitation Program Reauthorization
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Chris Pappas (D-NH)
To amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the transmission facilitation program.
Fighting for Reliable Energy and Ending Doubt for Open Markets (FREEDOM) Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Josh Harder (D-CA), Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), Rep. Adam Gray (D-CA), Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC), Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI)
To establish enforceable Federal authorization timelines and expedited judicial remedies, to limit Federal actions halting fully permitted projects, to create a de-risking compensation program, and for other purposes.
Guaranteeing Rate Insulation from Data Centers (GRID) Act
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
To ensure new data centers use power generation sources separate from the grid, with a 10-year off-ramp for existing data centers to secure alternative power sources.
Rail and Highway Transmission Planning Act
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Kevin Mullin (D-CA)
To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on using highway and rail rights-of-way as locations on which to construct high-voltage transmission infrastructure, and for other purposes.
Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy Act of 2026
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Goldman (R-TX), Rep. Crenshaw (R-TX), Rep. Pfluger (R-TX), Rep. Weber (R-TX), Rep. Van Duyne (R-TX), Rep. Luna (R-FL), Rep. Moore (R-AL), Rep. Harrigan (R-NC)
To require certain agencies to impose extendable sunset dates on certain regulations, and for other purposes.
Shared Utility Rewards for Grid Efficiency (SURGE) Act
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)
To amend the Federal Power Act to require the issuance of rules relating to shared savings frameworks for certain transmitting utilities, and for other purposes.
Reconductoring Existing Wires for Infrastructure Reliability and Expansion (REWIRE) Act
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Dave McCormick (R-PA), Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT)
To amend the Federal Power Act to establish a categorical exclusion for reconductoring within existing rights-of-way, and for other purposes.
ESA Amendments Act of 2025
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR)
To amend the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to optimize conservation through resource prioritization, incentivize wildlife conservation on private lands, provide greater incentives to recover listed species, create greater transparency and accountability, streamline the permitting process, eliminate barriers to conservation, and restore congressional intent.
Wildfire and Grid Reliability Act
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
To require the Secretary of Energy to establish a grant program to improve the reliability of the power grid and reduce the risk of wildfires caused by power lines, and for other purposes.
Electric Grid Discussion Draft
Lead Sponsors: Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA), Sen. Angus King (I-ME), Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV)
To amend the Federal Power Act to improve the processes, protections, and incentives relating to the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce, and for other purposes.
Ratepayer Protection Act
To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to ensure that large electricity users, such as data centers, bear the cost of the infrastructure required to serve them.
High-Capacity Grid Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Rep. Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ), Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX)
To establish a best-available transmission conductor standard for certain transmission projects under the Federal Power Act and to provide for presumptions regarding cost recovery for such conductors.
State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO), Rep. Nick Langworthy (R-NY)
To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to add a standard related to State consideration of reliable generation, and for other purposes.
Fair Allocation of Interstate Rates (FAIR) Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
To prohibit the allocation of costs for a certain transmission facility to consumers of a state whose public officials did not expressly consent to such transmission facility, and for other purposes.
Cheap Energy Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL), Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA)
- A draft bill developed by SEEC, inclusive of a broad range of provisions, to lower the cost of electricity, support the deployment of clean energy and electricity transmission, and for other purposes.
- Rebranded and updated from the Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act (CETA).
ePermit Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA)
To improve environmental reviews and authorizations through the use of interactive, digital, and cloud-based platforms, and for other purposes.
Streamlining Powerlines Essential to Electric Demand (SPEED) and Reliability Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA), Rep. Andy Barr (R-KY)
Amends the Federal Power Act to streamline backstop siting and provide for cost allocation of certain transmission facilities in the national interest.
PERMIT Act
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Mike Collins (R-GA)
Amends the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) to make targeted reforms with respect to waters of the United States.
Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR), Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME)
Amends the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to clarify provisions and facilitate a more efficient, effective, and timely environmental review process.
Electric Supply Chain Act
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Bob Latta (R-OH)
To direct the Secretary of Energy to prepare periodic assessments and submit reports on the supply chain for the generation and transmission of electricity, and for other purposes.
Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Julie Fedorchak (R-ND)
To authorize FERC and DOE, 120 days after final NEPA action by the relevant permitting agency, to either issue a cross-border certificate or find that the project in question is not in the public interest.
Advancing Grid-Enhancing Technologies (GETs) Act
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), Sen. Angus King (I-ME)
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to establish a shared savings incentive for GETs, allowing a developer to recoup the cost of a GETs project plus some of the cost savings it generates.
Reinforcing the Grid Against Extreme Weather Act
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Sean Casten (D-IL)
To require a minimum transfer capability between transmission planning regions.
Full Responsibility and Expedited Enforcement Act
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Rep. Celeste Malloy (R-UT)
- To streamline the federal permitting process by establishing a "permit-by-rule" (PBR) system.
- Under this system, projects meeting predefined criteria can receive automatic approval, bypassing the lengthy application process that currently has inconsistent and opaque requirements.
Fix Our Forests Act (Senate)
Lead Sponsors: Sen. John Curtis (R-UT), Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA)
Establishes requirements for managing forests on federal land, including reducing wildfire threats, expediting review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities.
Expediting Generator Interconnection Procedures Act*
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to promulgate regulations that accelerate the interconnection of electric generation and storage resources to the transmission system through more efficient and effective interconnection procedures.
Load Forecasting Enhancement Act
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH)
Requires FERC to establish regional joint boards to study electric load forecasting.
118th Congress and Beyond
Credit Incentives for Resilient Critical Utility Infrastructure and Transformers (CIRCUIT) Act
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS)
To encourage the domestic production of distribution electric transformers.
Guaranteeing Reliability through the Interconnection of Dispatchable Power (GRID Power) Act
Lead Sponsors: Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH)
To require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects.
Fix Our Forests Act (H.R. 471)
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-AR)
Establishes requirements for managing forests on federal land, including reducing wildfire threats, expediting review of certain forest management projects, and implementing forest management projects and other activities.
Federal Wildfire Relief Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. John Curtis (R-UT)
Would establish and carry out a Federal Wildfire Relief Fund.
Permitting Council Improvement Act of 2024*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI)
To enhance the role of the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council.
A. Donald McEachin Environmental Justice for All Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
To require community involvement, including tribal representation under NEPA, and consideration of cumulative impacts in permitting decisions under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act.
Big Wires Act*
Lead Sponsors: Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA)
To direct FERC to establish a 30% minimum transfer requirement between transmission planning regions.
CHARGE Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)
To proactively plan and expand the energy grid nationwide, implementing a series of planning and oversight reforms through FERC.
Enhancing Electric Grid Resilience Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT)
To amend the Federal Power Act to authorize cost allocation for certain interstate transmission lines and offshore transmission lines.
FASTER Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)
To expedite siting and permitting while maintaining environmental standards by placing time limits on FERC decision-making and incentivizing community benefit agreements.
Grid Resiliency Tax Credit Act*
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV)
To provide a targeted 30% investment tax credit to support investments in large-scale transmission projects and grid-enhancing technologies.
Lower Energy Costs Act*
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA)
- To expand and expedite the production of domestic energy, reform permitting processes, increase natural gas exports, and boost the production of critical minerals.
- Then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy included the bill in the Republicans' proposal to raise the debt ceiling before the summer deadline. A time limit on major environmental reviews from H.R. 1 appears in the final debt ceiling deal.
REBUILD Act*
Lead Sponsor: Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
To reduce the cost and speed up the construction of infrastructure projects by eliminating redundant environmental reviews.
RESTART Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
To streamline the review process with enforceable timelines, implement time limits to shorten the duration of legal challenges, and modernize current environmental protections.
SITE Act*
Lead Sponsors: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL)
To establish a new federal siting authority at FERC for interstate transmission and create eminent domain under the Federal Power Act.
SPUR Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)
To increase domestic energy and mineral development, ensure federal lands remain available for use, and streamline energy infrastructure permitting.
Connect the Grid Act*
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)
- To require the Texas power grid to expand interconnections to grids in neighboring states.
- The legislation would mandate ERCOT to build a minimum of between 2.6 and 4.3 gigawatts of interconnection capacity with MISO, SPP, and the Western Interconnection.
- Texas House Republicans introduced a resolution to oppose the bill. Representatives Randy Weber, Troy Nehls, Pat Fallon, Michael Burgess, Keith Self, and Tony Gonzales cosponsored it.
LIFT Act*
Lead Sponsor: Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA)
To provide grants to communities to cover market assessments, community engagement, site acquisition, and permitting costs for infrastructure projects.