I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 8156 

To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to submit to Congress 

an updated report on the roles, responsibilities, and practices of the 

Council on Environmental Quality. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 29, 2024 

Mr. NEWHOUSE (for himself, Mrs. RODGERS of Washington, Mr. FULCHER, 

Mr. BENTZ, and Mr. ZINKE) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Resources 

A BILL 

To direct the Comptroller General of the United States to 

submit to Congress an updated report on the roles, responsibilities, and practices of the Council on Environmental Quality. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. GAO REPORT ON THE ROLES, RESPONSIBIL4 ITIES, AND PRACTICES OF THE COUNCIL ON 

5 ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. 

6 (a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 120 days 

7 after the date of enactment of this section, the Comp8 troller General of the United States shall submit to ConVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:25 May 29, 2024 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H8156.IH H8156

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1 gress an updated version of the report titled ‘‘The Council 

2 on Environmental Quality: A Tool in Shaping National 

3 Policy’’, published March 19, 1981. 

4 (b) INFORMATION RELATED TO THE LOWER SNAKE

5 RIVER DAMS.—The updated report required under sub6 section (a) shall provide information on the roles, respon7 sibilities, and practices of the Council on Environmental 

8 Quality in National Wildlife Federation, et al. v. National 

9 Marine Fisheries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01–cv– 

10 00640–SI), including— 

11 (1) a determination whether the Council on En12 vironmental Quality is satisfying its responsibilities 

13 under the National Environmental Policy Act of 

14 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (including the duties 

15 and functions of the Director of the Office of Envi16 ronmental Quality established under the Environ17 mental Quality Improvement Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 

18 4371 et seq.)), which shall include identifying the 

19 basis for such determination; 

20 (2) a determination whether— 

21 (A) there is a continuing need for the 

22 roles, responsibilities, and practices of the 

23 Council on Environmental Quality in National 

24 Wildlife Federation, et al. v. National Marine 


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1 Fisheries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01–cv– 

2 00640–SI); or 

3 (B) such roles, responsibilities, and prac4 tices could be effectively carried out by another 

5 Federal agency; 

6 (3) information on how often the Council on 

7 Environmental Quality enters into contracts with, or 

8 relies on information provided by, non-governmental 

9 or non-profit organizations to perform or inform 

10 studies, reports, and analysis by the Council on En11 vironmental Quality; and 

12 (4) the percent of Presidential appointees, full 

13 time employees, part time employees, and contrac14 tors of the Council on Environmental Quality that— 

15 (A) are or have been employed at a covered 

16 organization; or 

17 (B) hold or have held a volunteer position, 

18 political campaign position, or political fund19 raising position at a covered organization. 

20 (c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

21 (1) COVERED ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘cov22 ered organization’’ means a non-governmental orga23 nization or non-profit organization that has an inter24 est in— 


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1 (A) litigation that the Council on Environ2 mental Quality is involved in; or 

3 (B) the policies developed or recommended 

4 by the Council on Environmental Quality. 

5 (2) LOWER SNAKE RIVER DAMS.—The term 

6 ‘‘Lower Snake River dams’’ means the following 

7 dams in the State of Washington, authorized by sec8 tion 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (chapter 19, 59 

9 Stat. 21): 

10 (A) Ice Harbor Dam. 

11 (B) Lower Monumental Dam. 

12 (C) Little Goose Dam. 

13 (D) Lower Granite Dam. 

Æ 


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