Skip to main content
HR 3826 113th Congress House Environmental Protection Administrative law and regulatory procedures Air quality Climate change and greenhouse gases Coal Congressional oversight Electric power generation and transmission Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Environmental regulatory procedures Oil and gas

Electricity Security and Affordability Act

Introduced: January 9, 2014 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 46 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 8, 2014
Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 374.
May 7, 2014
Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
Mar 10, 2014
Received in the Senate.
Mar 6, 2014
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Mar 6, 2014
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 229 - 183 (Roll no. 106).
Mar 6, 2014
Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by recorded vote: 229 - 183 (Roll no. 106).
Mar 6, 2014
On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 184 - 223 (Roll no. 105).
Mar 6, 2014
The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection. (consideration: CR H2213)
Mar 6, 2014
DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Brownley (CA) motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment to prohibit the application of the bill with respect to rules that save consumers money on electricity bills, including rules that allow for or, encourage energy efficiency, demand response, and other approaches to lower the cost of electricity for consumers.
Mar 6, 2014
Ms. Brownley (CA) moved to recommit with instructions to Energy and Commerce. (consideration: CR H2211-2214; text: CR H2211)
Mar 6, 2014
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H2185-2186)
Mar 6, 2014
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H2211)
Mar 6, 2014
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 3826.
Mar 6, 2014
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
Mar 6, 2014
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2208-2215)
Mar 5, 2014
On motion to rise Agreed to by voice vote.
Mar 5, 2014
Mr. Whitfield moved to rise.
Mar 5, 2014
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Waxman amendment No. 8, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Waxman demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Waxman amendment No. 8.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Latta amendment No. 7.
Mar 5, 2014
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
Mar 5, 2014
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2192-2195)
Mar 5, 2014
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H.R. 3826 as unfinished business.
Mar 5, 2014
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Schakowsky amendment No. 6, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Ms. Schakowsky demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Schakowsky amendment No. 6.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the McKinley amendment No. 5.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the McKinley amendment No. 4.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Capito amendment No. 3.
Mar 5, 2014
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Capps amendment No. 2, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the noes had prevailed. Mrs. Capps demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Capps amendment No. 2.
Mar 5, 2014
POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the Smith (TX) amendment No. 1, the Chair put the question on adoption of the amendment and by voice vote announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Smith (TX) demanded a recorded vote, and the Chair postponed further proceedings on adoption of the amendment until a time to be announced.
Mar 5, 2014
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 497, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Smith (TX) amendment No. 1.
Mar 5, 2014
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate on H.R. 3826.
Mar 5, 2014
The Speaker designated the Honorable Jeff Fortenberry to act as Chairman of the Committee.
Mar 5, 2014
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 497 and Rule XVIII.
Mar 5, 2014
The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 113-40 for H.R. 3826 and provides that it shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Mar 5, 2014
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 497. (consideration: CR 3/5/2014 H2178-2192)
Mar 4, 2014
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 497 Reported to House. The rule waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The rule makes in order as original text for the purpose of amendment an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of Rules Committee Print 113-40 for H.R. 3826 and provides that it shall be considered as read. The rule waives all points of order against that amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Feb 28, 2014
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 271.
Feb 28, 2014
Reported by the Committee on Energy and Commerce. H. Rept. 113-365.
Jan 28, 2014
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 29 - 19.
Jan 28, 2014
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jan 27, 2014
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jan 10, 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
Jan 9, 2014
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Jan 9, 2014
Introduced in House
 Votes taken on this bill 2
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Mar 6, 2014 House · vote #106 On Passage Passed 229183 See who voted →
Mar 6, 2014 House · vote #105 On Motion to Recommit with Instructions Failed 184223 See who voted →
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Electricity Security and Affordability Act - (Sec. 2) Prohibits the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing, implementing, or enforcing any proposed or final rule under the Clean Air Act that establishes a performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions from any new source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit unless the rule meets specified requirements of this Act.

Requires the Administrator to separate sources fueled with coal and natural gas into separate categories.

Prohibits the Administrator, however, from setting a standard based on the best system of emission reduction for new sources within a fossil-fuel category unless it has been achieved on average for at least one continuous 12-month period (excluding planned outages) by each of at least 6 units within the category. Requires each such unit to: (1) be located at a different electric generating station in the United States, (2) be representative of the operating characteristics of electric generation at its location, and (3) be operated for the entire 12-month period on a full commercial basis. Prohibits the use of any results obtained from a demonstration project in setting the standard.

Requires the Administrator, in separating sources fueled with coal into a separate category, to establish a separate subcategory for new sources that are fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating units using coal with an average heat content of 8300 or less British Thermal Units (BTUs) per pound.

Prohibits the Administrator, in issuing any rule establishing performance standards for greenhouse gas emissions from new sources in such subcategory, from setting a standard based on the best system of emission reduction unless the standard has been achieved on average for at least one continuous 12-month period (excluding planned outages) by each of at least 3 units within such subcategory that meets the unit requirements specified by this Act for the coal category.

Prohibits this Act from being construed to preclude the issuance, implementation, or enforcement of a standard of performance that: (1) is based on the use of technologies that are developed in a foreign country, but has been demonstrated to be achievable at fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating units in the United States; and (2) meets the requirements of this Act.

(Sec. 3) Precludes from taking effect, unless a federal law is enacted specifying an effective date, any EPA rule or guideline that: (1) establishes any performance standard for greenhouse gas emissions from a modified or reconstructed source that is a fossil fuel-fired electric utility generating unit, or (2) applies to greenhouse gas emissions from such an existing source.

Requires, in order for the rule or guidelines to take effect, that the Administrator submit a report that contains: (1) the text of the rule or guidelines; (2) the economic impacts of such rule or guidelines, including potential effects on electricity ratepayers, on economic growth, competitiveness, and jobs in the United States and on required capital investments and projected costs for operation and maintenance of new equipment required to be installed; and (3) the amount of greenhouse gas emissions projected to be reduced as compared to overall global greenhouse gas emissions.

Requires the Administrator, in carrying out such reporting requirements, to consult with the Administrator of the Energy Information Administration, the Comptroller General (GAO), the Director of the National Energy Technology Laboratory, and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology.

(Sec. 4) Nullifies the force and effect of specified proposed rules (or similar successor proposed or final rules) for Standards of Performance for Greenhouse Gas Emissions for New Stationary Sources: Electric Utility Generating Units that are issued before enactment of this Act.

What's happening now May 8, 2014

Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 374.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2