April 22, 2026
Mr. Lawler (for himself and Mr. Gottheimer) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
To establish an Office of Energy Affordability within the Department of Energy, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Energy Affordability and Reliability Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Establishment of Office of Energy Affordability
(a) Establishment
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall establish within the Office of Policy of the Department of Energy an office to be known as the Office of Energy Affordability (in this section referred to as the Office
).
(b) Duties
The duties of the Office shall be to—
(1)
review each proposed regulation or policy of the Department of Energy that would require, or otherwise relates to, a transition between types of energy or sources of energy, to determine whether such regulation or policy—
(A)
incorporates transparent and rigorous analysis of the short-term and long-term effects of such regulation or policy on energy affordability and on related economic costs;
(B)
includes strategies to ensure that such regulation or policy does not negatively affect energy affordability and that related economic costs are mitigated; and
(C)
supports reliable access to energy by consumers and promotes cost-effective energy solutions; and
(2)
provide advice and guidance based on the results of such review.
(c) Timely review; no prevention of issuance
In carrying out the duties under subsection (b), the Office—
(1)
shall complete the review of each proposed regulation or policy pursuant to such subsection by not later than 30 days after the date on which the Office receives notice of such proposed regulation or policy; and
(2)
may not prevent the issuance of any regulation or policy.
(d) Annual reports
On an annual basis, the Office shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report containing, with respect to any regulation or policy specified in subsection (b) proposed to be issued or issued during the year covered by such report—
(1)
an analysis of the effects specified in subsection (b)(1)(A); and
(2)
recommendations for the strategies specified in subsection (b)(1)(B).
(e) Report on effectiveness of Office
Not later than 5 years after the date on which the Office is established under subsection (a), the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the effectiveness of the Office.
(f) Definitions
In this section—
(1) Appropriate congressional committees
The term appropriate congressional committees
means—
(A)
the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives; and
(B)
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
(2) Energy affordability
The term energy affordability
means the cost of energy transmitted to a residential, commercial, or industrial consumer proportional to the income or operational costs of such consumer.