I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5496 
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 
Mr. LIEU introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Climate Solutions Act of 2023’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 
this Act is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
TITLE I—RENEWABLE ENERGY 
Sec. 101. National renewable energy standard. 
TITLE II—ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
Sec. 201. National energy efficiency standard. 
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TITLE III—SCIENCE-BASED REDUCTIONS 
Sec. 301. Net emissions reduction targets. 
Sec. 302. National Academies review. 
Sec. 303. Regulations. 
Sec. 304. Savings clause. 
Sec. 305. Definitions. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) The United States and a number of other 
countries have the stated objective of stabilizing 
greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at 
a level that would prevent ‘‘dangerous anthropogenic 
interference’’ with the climate system. To that end, 
the United States has pledged to reduce its green-
house gas emissions by 50 to 52 percent below 2005 
levels by 2030. To support that target, the United 
States has enacted a wide range of policies, includ-
ing tax incentives, regulations, and funding for 
greenhouse gas reduction technologies. 
(2) To achieve this objective, the increase in 
global mean surface temperature should not exceed 
2°C (3.6°F) above preindustrial temperature by 
2100 consistent with the Paris Agreement that en-
tered into force in 2016. 
(3) The risks associated with a temperature in-
crease above 2°C (3.6°F) are grave, including the 
disintegration of the Greenland ice sheet, which, if 
it were to melt completely, would raise global aver-
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age sea level by approximately 23 feet, devastating 
many of the world’s coastal areas and population 
centers. 
(4) A 2018 report by the Intergovernmental 
Panel on Climate Change demonstrated that limiting 
the temperature increase to 1.5°C will result in still 
harmful, but significantly less severe outcomes than 
a 2°C increase. 
(5) The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
Change projects that temperatures will rise 1.5°C 
between 2030 and 2052. In order to limit the tem-
perature increase to 1.5°C, global net anthropogenic 
carbon dioxide emissions must reach net zero by 
2050. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate 
Change notes in their 2023 report that the level of 
reduction in greenhouse gas emissions this decade 
will largely determine whether warming can be lim-
ited to 1.5°C or 2°C. 
(6) A 2023 report by the Intergovernmental 
Panel on Climate Change highlights that ‘‘Deep, 
rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas 
emissions would lead to a discernible slowdown in 
global warming within around two decades, and also 
to discernible changes in atmospheric composition 
within a few years.’’. 
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(7) The 2018 National Climate Assessment, au-
thored by more than 300 experts and released by the 
United States Global Change Research Program, 
makes clear that the present unprecedented rises in 
global temperature are primarily due to human ac-
tivities. The changing climate will devastate all sec-
tors of society and disproportionately harm the most 
vulnerable communities. 
(8) Serious global warming impacts have al-
ready been observed in the United States and world-
wide, including— 
(A) increases in heat waves and other ex-
treme weather events; 
(B) rise in sea level, retreat of glaciers and 
polar ice; 
(C) decline in mountain snowpack, in-
creased drought (including droughts in the 
West and South United States) resulting in 
damage to our economy and property; 
(D) extreme weather conditions resulting 
in wildfires, stronger hurricanes, and polar vor-
tex occurrences resulting in further damage to 
property and our economy; 
(E) damage to our environment such as 
ocean acidification, extensive coral bleaching, 
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migrations, and shifts in the yearly cycles of 
plants and animals; and 
(F) effects on human population, including 
population displacement and adverse health ef-
fects such as the spread of infectious diseases 
and climate-related conditions such as asthma. 
(9) Scientists project that under a midrange es-
timate of global warming, by 2050, roughly one- 
third of animal and plant species will be committed 
to extinction. 
(10) The Energy Information Administration’s 
International Energy Outlook report estimates an 
increase of 20 percent in global carbon dioxide emis-
sions between 2021 and 2050. 
(11) Decisive action is needed to minimize the 
many dangers posed by global warming. 
(12) The timing of such action is critical, given 
that greenhouse gases can persist in the atmosphere 
for more than a century. 
(13) With less than 5 percent of the world pop-
ulation, the United States emits approximately 11.5 
percent of the world’s total greenhouse gas emissions 
and must be a leader in addressing global warming. 
(14) The State of California, the 5th largest 
economy in the world, has shown that renewable en-
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ergy standards and greenhouse gas emissions regula-
tion can reduce greenhouse gas emissions while fos-
tering significant economic growth. 
(15) Existing energy efficiency and clean, re-
newable energy technologies can reduce global warm-
ing pollution, while saving consumers money, reduc-
ing our dependence on oil, enhancing national secu-
rity, cleaning the air, and protecting pristine places 
from drilling and mining. 
TITLE I—RENEWABLE ENERGY 
SEC. 101. NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD. 
Title VI of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act 
of 1978 is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘SEC. 610. NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY STANDARD. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall promulgate 
regulations requiring that— 
‘‘(1) beginning in calendar year 2023, the per-
centage of electric energy generated from renewable 
sources that is sold at the retail level in the United 
States shall increase each year; and 
‘‘(2) in calendar year 2035 and each subse-
quent calendar year, such percentage shall not be 
less than 100 percent of the total electric energy 
sold at the retail level in the United States. 
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‘‘(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 
this section in consultation with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency. 
‘‘(c) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to preempt or limit State actions 
to enhance renewable energy generation or energy effi-
ciency.’’. 
TITLE II—ENERGY EFFICIENCY 
SEC. 201. NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title VI of the Public Utility Reg-
ulatory Policies Act of 1978, as amended by section 101 
of this Act, is further amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘SEC. 611. NATIONAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY STANDARD. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall promulgate 
regulations in accordance with this section setting end- 
user— 
‘‘(1) electricity savings targets for retail electric 
energy suppliers; and 
‘‘(2) natural gas savings targets for retail nat-
ural gas suppliers. 
‘‘(b) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 
this section in consultation with the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency. 
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‘‘(c) REQUIREMENTS.—With respect to targets under 
subsection (a): 
‘‘(1) The targets shall require each retail elec-
tric energy supplier to secure annual electricity sav-
ings, and each retail natural gas supplier to secure 
annual natural gas savings, of a set percentage of 
the quantity of electricity or natural gas sold in the 
most recent year to retail customers. 
‘‘(2) The electricity savings and natural gas 
savings shall be achieved through end-use efficiency 
improvements at customer facilities. 
‘‘(3) The targets are cumulative. Each year’s 
electricity savings or natural gas savings shall be 
achieved in addition to the previous years’ savings. 
‘‘(4) For each of calendar years 2023 through 
2030, the targets are as follows: 
‘‘Calendar Year 
Cumulative Electricity 
Savings Percentage 
Cumulative Natural Gas 
Savings Percentage 
2024 
0.375 
0.25 
2025 
1.125 
0.60 
2026 
2.25 
1.05 
2027 
3.75 
1.55 
2028 
6.25 
2.38 
2029 
8.75 
3.21 
2030 
11.25 
4.05 
‘‘(d) REQUIRED PERCENTAGES AFTER 2030.—The 
Secretary may, upon petition or upon the Secretary’s own 
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initiative, increase the required percentage of end-user 
electricity savings or natural gas savings for years after 
2030. 
‘‘(e) MARKET-BASED TRADING SYSTEM.—The Sec-
retary shall allow suppliers to achieve the required per-
centage of end-user electricity savings or natural gas sav-
ings under this section through a market-based trading 
system. 
‘‘(f) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this sec-
tion shall be construed to preempt or limit State actions 
to enhance renewable energy generation or energy effi-
ciency.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents for the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 
1978 is amended by inserting after the item relating to 
section 608 the following: 
‘‘Sec. 609. Rural and remote communities electrification grants. 
‘‘Sec. 610. National renewable energy standard. 
‘‘Sec. 611. National energy efficiency standard.’’. 
TITLE III—SCIENCE-BASED 
REDUCTIONS 
SEC. 301. NET EMISSIONS REDUCTION TARGETS. 
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency (in this title referred to as the ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’) shall promulgate annual net emissions reduction 
targets for each of calendar years 2030 through 2050, so 
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as to ensure that the quantity of United States net green-
house gas emissions— 
(1) in 2035, is at least 52 percent below the 
quantity of such emissions in 2005; and 
(2) in 2050, is zero. 
SEC. 302. NATIONAL ACADEMIES REVIEW. 
Not later than 5 years after the date of the enact-
ment of this Act, and every 5 years thereafter, the Admin-
istrator shall enter into an arrangement with the National 
Academies (or, if the National Academies decline to enter 
into such arrangement, another appropriate entity) under 
which the National Academies, acting through the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences and the National Research 
Council, will submit a report to the Administrator and the 
Congress on the prospects for avoiding dangerous anthro-
pogenic interference with the climate system and the 
progress made to date. Each such report shall— 
(1) evaluate whether the net emissions reduc-
tion targets promulgated pursuant to section 301 
and the other policies to reduce United States net 
greenhouse gas emissions under this Act, the amend-
ments made by this Act, and other provisions of law, 
including the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 et 
seq.), are likely to be sufficient to avoid dangerous 
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anthropogenic interference with the climate system, 
taking into account the actions of other nations; and 
(2) if the National Academies concludes that 
such targets and policies are not likely to be suffi-
cient to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference 
with the climate system— 
(A) identify the needed amount of further 
reductions in atmospheric greenhouse gas con-
centrations; and 
(B) recommend additional United States 
and international actions to further reduce at-
mospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. 
SEC. 303. REGULATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator shall— 
(1) not later than 7 years after the date of en-
actment of this Act, promulgate final regulations to 
implement the net emissions reduction targets under 
section 301; and 
(2) not less than every 5 years thereafter— 
(A) review such regulations, taking into ac-
count the reports under section 302; and 
(B) revise such regulations as necessary to 
implement such net emissions reduction targets. 
(b) RULEMAKING ON RECOMMENDATIONS OF NA-
TIONAL ACADEMIES.—If any report under section 302 in-
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cludes a recommendation under section 302(2)(B) for reg-
ulatory action by a Federal department or agency, and 
such regulatory action is within the authority of such de-
partment or agency (under law other than this sub-
section), the head of such department or agency shall, not 
later than 2 years after the submission of such report, fi-
nalize a rulemaking— 
(1) to carry out such regulatory action; or 
(2) to explain the reasons for declining to act. 
(c) ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS.—The regulations 
promulgated under subsection (a) may include additional 
requirements to reduce United States net greenhouse gas 
emissions from any source or sector. Any such regulations 
that address sources whose greenhouse gas emissions are 
regulated pursuant to section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act 
(42 U.S.C. 7411(d)) shall account for the compliance 
schedule promulgated pursuant to such section 111(d). 
Regulations under this section may include market-based 
measures, emissions performance standards, efficiency 
performance standards, best management practices, tech-
nology-based requirements, and other forms of require-
ments. 
(d) RELATION TO OTHER AUTHORITY.—The author-
ity vested by this title is in addition to the authority to 
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regulate greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to other pro-
visions of law. 
SEC. 304. SAVINGS CLAUSE. 
Nothing in this title shall be interpreted to preempt 
or limit State actions to address climate change. 
SEC. 305. DEFINITIONS. 
In this title: 
(1) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 
gas’’ means— 
(A) carbon dioxide; 
(B) methane; 
(C) nitrous oxide; 
(D) hydrofluorocarbons; 
(E) perfluorocarbons; 
(F) sulfur hexafluoride; or 
(G) any other anthropogenically emitted 
gas that is determined by the Administrator, 
after notice and comment, to contribute to glob-
al warming to a non-negligible degree. 
(2) UNITED
STATES
NET
GREENHOUSE
GAS 
EMISSIONS.—The term ‘‘United States net green-
house gas emissions’’ means net greenhouse gas 
emissions, as calculated by the Administrator on an 
annual basis and reported to the United Nations 
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Framework Convention on Climate Change Secre-
tariat. 
Æ 
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