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 re-
ferred 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, re-
sponsibilities, and practices of the Council on Environ-
mental Quality. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. GAO REPORT ON THE ROLES, RESPONSIBIL-
ITIES, AND PRACTICES OF THE COUNCIL ON 
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY. 
(a) REPORT REQUIRED.—Not later than 120 days 
after the date of enactment of this section, the Comp-
troller General of the United States shall submit to Con-
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gress an updated version of the report titled ‘‘The Council 
on Environmental Quality: A Tool in Shaping National 
Policy’’, published March 19, 1981. 
(b) INFORMATION RELATED TO THE LOWER SNAKE 
RIVER DAMS.—The updated report required under sub-
section (a) shall provide information on the roles, respon-
sibilities, and practices of the Council on Environmental 
Quality in National Wildlife Federation, et al. v. National 
Marine Fisheries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01–cv– 
00640–SI), including— 
(1) a determination whether the Council on En-
vironmental Quality is satisfying its responsibilities 
under the National Environmental Policy Act of 
1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq.) (including the duties 
and functions of the Director of the Office of Envi-
ronmental Quality established under the Environ-
mental Quality Improvement Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 
4371 et seq.)), which shall include identifying the 
basis for such determination; 
(2) a determination whether— 
(A) there is a continuing need for the 
roles, responsibilities, and practices of the 
Council on Environmental Quality in National 
Wildlife Federation, et al. v. National Marine 
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Fisheries Service, et al. (Case No. 3:01–cv– 
00640–SI); or 
(B) such roles, responsibilities, and prac-
tices could be effectively carried out by another 
Federal agency; 
(3) information on how often the Council on 
Environmental Quality enters into contracts with, or 
relies on information provided by, non-governmental 
or non-profit organizations to perform or inform 
studies, reports, and analysis by the Council on En-
vironmental Quality; and 
(4) the percent of Presidential appointees, full 
time employees, part time employees, and contrac-
tors of the Council on Environmental Quality that— 
(A) are or have been employed at a covered 
organization; or 
(B) hold or have held a volunteer position, 
political campaign position, or political fund-
raising position at a covered organization. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
(1) COVERED ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘cov-
ered organization’’ means a non-governmental orga-
nization or non-profit organization that has an inter-
est in— 
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(A) litigation that the Council on Environ-
mental Quality is involved in; or 
(B) the policies developed or recommended 
by the Council on Environmental Quality. 
(2) LOWER
SNAKE
RIVER
DAMS.—The term 
‘‘Lower Snake River dams’’ means the following 
dams in the State of Washington, authorized by sec-
tion 2 of the Act of March 2, 1945 (chapter 19, 59 
Stat. 21): 
(A) Ice Harbor Dam. 
(B) Lower Monumental Dam. 
(C) Little Goose Dam. 
(D) Lower Granite Dam. 
Æ 
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