[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 143 (Monday, September 9, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H7543-H7544]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENHANCING STATE ENERGY SECURITY PLANNING AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS ACT
OF 2019
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 2114) to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide
Federal financial assistance to States to implement, review, and revise
State energy security plans, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 2114
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Enhancing State Energy
Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. STATE ENERGY SECURITY PLANS.
(a) In General.--Part D of title III of the Energy Policy
and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6321 et seq.) is amended by
adding at the end the following:
``SEC. 367. STATE ENERGY SECURITY PLANS.
``(a) In General.--Federal financial assistance made
available to a State under this part may be used for the
implementation, review, and revision of a State energy
security plan that assesses the State's existing
circumstances and proposes methods to strengthen the ability
of the State, in consultation with owners and operators of
energy infrastructure in such State, to--
``(1) secure the energy infrastructure of the State against
all physical and cybersecurity threats;
``(2) mitigate the risk of energy supply disruptions to the
State and enhance the response to, and recovery from, energy
disruptions; and
``(3) ensure the State has a reliable, secure, and
resilient energy infrastructure.
``(b) Contents of Plan.--A State energy security plan
described in subsection (a) shall--
``(1) address all fuels, including petroleum products,
other liquid fuels, coal, electricity, and natural gas, as
well as regulated and unregulated energy providers;
``(2) provide a State energy profile, including an
assessment of energy production, distribution, and end-use;
``(3) address potential hazards to each energy sector or
system, including physical threats and cybersecurity threats
and vulnerabilities;
``(4) provide a risk assessment of energy infrastructure
and cross-sector interdependencies;
[[Page H7544]]
``(5) provide a risk mitigation approach to enhance
reliability and end-use resilience; and
``(6) address multi-State, Indian Tribe, and regional
coordination planning and response, and to the extent
practicable, encourage mutual assistance in cyber and
physical response plans.
``(c) Coordination.--In developing a State energy security
plan under this section, the energy office of the State
shall, to the extent practicable, coordinate with--
``(1) the public utility or service commission of the
State;
``(2) energy providers from the private sector; and
``(3) other entities responsible for maintaining fuel or
electric reliability.
``(d) Financial Assistance.--A State is not eligible to
receive Federal financial assistance under this part, for any
purpose, for a fiscal year unless the Governor of such State
submits to the Secretary, with respect to such fiscal year--
``(1) a State energy security plan described in subsection
(a) that meets the requirements of subsection (b); or
``(2) after an annual review of the State energy security
plan by the Governor--
``(A) any necessary revisions to such plan; or
``(B) a certification that no revisions to such plan are
necessary.
``(e) Technical Assistance.--Upon request of the Governor
of a State, the Secretary may provide information and
technical assistance, and other assistance, in the
development, implementation, or revision of a State energy
security plan.
``(f) Sunset.--This section shall expire on October 31,
2024.''.
(b) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 365(f) of the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6325(f)) is
amended--
(1) by striking ``$125,000,000'' and inserting
``$90,000,000''; and
(2) by striking ``2007 through 2012'' and inserting ``2021
through 2025''.
(c) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Conforming amendments.--Section 363 of the Energy
Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6323) is amended--
(A) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (e); and
(B) by striking subsection (e).
(2) Technical amendment.--Section 366(3)(B)(i) of the
Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6326(3)(B)(i))
is amended by striking ``approved under section 367''.
(3) Reference.--The item relating to ``Department of
Energy--Energy Conservation'' in title II of the Department
of the Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1985
(42 U.S.C. 6323a) is amended by striking ``sections 361
through 366'' and inserting ``sections 361 through 367''.
(4) Table of sections.--The table of sections for part D of
title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act is
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 367. State energy security plans.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Rush) and the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 2114.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2114, the Enhancing
State Energy Security Planning and Emergency Preparedness Act of 2019,
and I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2114 was introduced by myself and my good friend
and colleague from Michigan, the ranking member of the Energy
Subcommittee, Mr. Upton, and I want to thank my colleague for working
with me to bring this bill to the floor today.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation would simply amend the Energy Policy
and Conservation Act by adding a new section authorizing States to
utilize Federal funding received through the State Energy Program to
implement, revise, and review a State energy security plan.
H.R. 2114 lays out eligibility requirements for the contents of a
State energy security plan to receive assistance and requires the
Governor of a State to submit a new plan, revisions to a plan, or to
certify that no revisions to the plan are necessary to the Secretary of
Energy every year.
These emergency plans have been vital to the States as they continue
to improve their ability to identify potential energy disruptions,
quantify the effects of disruptions, establish response plans, and
limit the risk of further disturbances, whether they be natural or man-
made.
Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, it is critical that we provide the
resources for States to take even more of a prominent role in advancing
smart and sustainable energy policy.
Since their inception in the 1970s, State energy programs, bolstered
by Federal aid, have assisted States in developing much-needed energy
efficiency and energy conservation measures. Some of these federally
assisted initiatives that have been implemented by the States include,
but are not limited to, establishing new partnerships to finance
retrofit programs, managing loan programs, offering energy savings
performance contracts, expanding the use of alternative fuels, and
promoting distributed renewable energy.
Mr. Speaker, Federal funding and leadership have always been critical
in helping States and local stakeholders identify the roles and
responsibilities of the various agencies in times of emergencies, while
also supporting training and response exercises.
Mr. Speaker, this bill is a product of a thoughtful and bipartisan
negotiation process between Ranking Member Upton and myself to provide
Federal guidance and resources to the States that are most vulnerable
to critical energy infrastructure threats. Members on both sides of the
aisle support the State Energy Program, and this legislation will help
allocate additional resources to further develop and enhance State
energy security plans.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this bill, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I want to confirm what the chairman said about this
bill. It is bipartisan. We worked on this together. It is a good bill
and it is an important one, which we passed on a voice vote on
suspension in the last Congress. It reauthorizes the State Energy
Program, and it strengthens our energy emergency planning and
preparedness efforts.
As States and communities respond to the damage throughout the
Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic from Hurricane Dorian, we are reminded
how States have to respond to so many different hazards, including
hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, fuel supply disruptions, and physical
and cyber threats.
This legislation, in fact, provides States with the flexibility that
they need to address local energy challenges. It ensures that State
energy security planning efforts address fuel supply issues, assess
State energy profiles, address potential hazards to each energy sector,
mitigate risk to enhance reliability, and incorporate regional planning
efforts.
{time} 1700
This legislation, H.R. 2114, helps States protect fuel and electric
infrastructure from both physical and cyber threats and other
vulnerabilities. It makes sure that we are thinking ahead, not just
about an actual threat, but how our energy and electric systems might
be vulnerable in a broader sense.
The bill also encourages mutual assistance, an essential part of
responding and restoring, in the event of an energy emergency. So
prioritizing and elevating security planning and emergency preparedness
is, in fact, an important step in the face of increased threats,
vulnerabilities, and interdependencies of energy infrastructure and
end-use systems.
It is a bipartisan bill. It is a good bill. I urge all of my
colleagues to vote for it, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 2114.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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