IB 
Union Calendar No. 755 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5482 
[Report No. 118–923, Part I] 
To prevent energy poverty and ensure that at-risk communities have access 
to affordable energy. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 
Ms. HAGEMAN (for herself, Mr. NEWHOUSE, Mr. STAUBER, Ms. BOEBERT, 
Mr. GOSAR, Mr. COLE, Mr. WILLIAMS of New York, Mr. GRAVES of Lou-
isiana, Mr. HERN, Mr. DONALDS, Mr. HUNT, Mrs. MILLER of West Vir-
ginia, and Mr. ZINKE) introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Natural Resources, and in addition to the Commit-
tees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, the Budget, and Rules, for 
a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the com-
mittee concerned 
DECEMBER 18, 2024 
Additional sponsors: Mr. BABIN, Mr. LANGWORTHY, Mrs. LESKO, Mr. 
MOYLAN, Mr. FALLON, and Mr. ARMSTRONG 
DECEMBER 18, 2024 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with an amendment 
[Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic] 
DECEMBER 18, 2024 
Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, the Budget, and Rules 
discharged; committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State 
of the Union and ordered to be printed 
[For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on September 14, 2023] 
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A BILL 
To prevent energy poverty and ensure that at-risk 
communities have access to affordable energy. 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Energy Poverty Preven-
tion and Accountability Act of 2024’’. 
SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS. 
It is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) all Americans should have equal access to af-
fordable and reliable energy to maintain personal 
health and economic security; 
(2) the United States should mitigate the dis-
parate impact of increases in the cost of energy on at- 
risk communities because those communities are more 
likely to have a fixed income and spend a higher per-
centage of their income on energy compared to the 
general population; and 
(3) to prevent energy poverty and ensure that 
each at-risk community has access to affordable en-
ergy, the United States should ensure that Federal 
policies will not increase the cost of energy for any 
at-risk community. 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) AGENCY.—The term ‘‘agency’’ has the mean-
ing given the term in section 551 of title 5, United 
States Code. 
(2) AGENCY ACTION.—The term ‘‘agency action’’ 
has the meaning given the term in section 551 of title 
5, United States Code. 
(3) AT-RISK
COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘at-risk 
community’’ means— 
(A) a low-income community; 
(B) a minority community; 
(C) a rural community; 
(D) an elderly community; or 
(E) an American Indian, Alaska Native, or 
Native Hawaiian community. 
(4) ELDERLY
COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘elderly 
community’’ means a census tract where the majority 
of the population consists of elderly persons (as ‘‘el-
derly person’’ is defined in section 891.205 of title 24, 
Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date 
of the enactment of this Act)). 
(5) ENERGY POVERTY.—The term ‘‘energy pov-
erty’’ means a condition in which individuals do not 
have access to affordable and reliable energy to main-
tain economic security. 
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(6) ENERGY
RULE.—The term ‘‘energy rule’’ 
means a rule (as such term is defined in section 551 
of title 5, United States Code)— 
(A) promulgated by— 
(i) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency; 
(ii) the Secretary of the Interior; 
(iii) the Secretary of Agriculture; 
(iv) the Secretary of Energy; or 
(v) any other agency the actions of 
which may affect energy poverty in an at- 
risk community; and 
(B) that may result in a change to— 
(i) electricity prices; 
(ii) home heating prices; 
(iii) gasoline prices; 
(iv) oil prices; 
(v) motor vehicle prices; 
(vi) natural gas prices; or 
(vii) household appliance prices. 
(7) FEDERAL LAND.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘‘Federal land’’ 
means— 
(i) National Forest System land; 
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(C) in the case of a block group located 
within a metropolitan area, the median family 
income for such block group does not exceed 80 
percent of the greater of statewide median family 
income or the metropolitan area median family 
income (as defined in section 45D(e) of the Inter-
nal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 45D(e)). 
(10) MINORITY COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘minor-
ity community’’ means a census tract where the ma-
jority of the population consists of minority (as de-
fined in section 104A of the Community Development 
Banking and Financial Institutions Act of 1994 (12 
U.S.C. 4703a)) individuals. 
(11) RURAL COMMUNITY.—The term ‘‘rural com-
munity’’ means a community that is located in an 
area that is outside of an urbanized area (as defined 
in section 5302 of title 49, United States Code). 
(12) STATE
RENEWABLE
PORTFOLIO
STAND-
ARD.—The term ‘‘State renewable portfolio standard’’ 
means any State regulation that is designed to in-
crease the use of renewable energy sources, including 
wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass, to generate elec-
tricity. 
(13) TRIBAL LAND.—The term ‘‘Tribal land’’ has 
the meaning given the term ‘‘Indian land’’ in section 
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2601 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 
3501). 
SEC. 4. REPORTS ON ACCESS TO RELIABLE AND AFFORD-
ABLE ENERGY. 
(a) COMPTROLLER GENERAL.—The Comptroller Gen-
eral of the United States, in consultation with each relevant 
agency, shall— 
(1) conduct an analysis of Federal energy laws, 
energy rules, and State renewable portfolio standards 
to determine how those laws, rules, and standards af-
fected at-risk communities during the preceding fiscal 
year, and if those laws, rules, and standards created 
disproportionate financial impacts on at-risk commu-
nities relative to the general population; 
(2) identify barriers to the ability of at-risk com-
munities to access reliable and affordable energy, in-
cluding the manner in which the presence of adequate 
energy transmission infrastructure affects that access; 
and 
(3) develop criteria to determine whether an at- 
risk community is experiencing energy poverty. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United 
States shall submit to Congress a report that— 
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(1) describes the analysis conducted under sub-
section (a)(1) and the barriers identified under sub-
section (a)(2); 
(2) identifies the at-risk communities that are 
experiencing energy poverty, by location and type; 
and 
(3) provides recommendations on— 
(A) how to reduce energy poverty in at-risk 
communities; and 
(B) actions each applicable agency may 
take to reduce the barriers described in sub-
section (a)(2), including by— 
(i) rescinding or modifying energy 
rules; 
(ii) establishing lower fees or lowering 
other costs; 
(iii) improving the approval process 
for rights-of-way on Federal land and Trib-
al land; 
(iv) increasing energy production on 
Federal lands; 
(v) encouraging private energy sector 
investment in Federal land and Tribal 
land; and 
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(vi) improving grid resilience in re-
mote areas. 
SEC. 5. EXECUTIVE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTING AT-RISK COM-
MUNITIES. 
(a) CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES FOR 
EFFECTS ON ENERGY PRICES.—For purposes of section 402 
of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act 
of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 653), the Director of the Congressional 
Budget Office shall include in any bill or resolution that 
could result in an agency action affecting energy poverty, 
including the proposal of an energy rule, an estimate of 
how the bill or resolution will affect the cost of energy for 
at-risk communities. 
(b) ENERGY POVERTY STUDY REQUIRED FOR CERTAIN 
EXECUTIVE ACTIVITIES.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
(A) 
ACTIVITY.—The 
term 
‘‘activity’’ 
means— 
(i) a declaration of a moratorium on 
the leasing of Federal land for the drilling, 
mining, or collection of oil, gas, or coal, or 
related activities unless such moratorium is 
authorized by Federal statute; or 
(ii) an action (including non-action 
with respect to an action directed to be car-
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ried out by statute or regulation) that pro-
hibits or delays, with respect to Federal 
land— 
(I) the issuance of— 
(aa) new oil and gas or geo-
thermal lease sales, oil and gas or 
geothermal leases, drill permits, or 
associated approvals, or author-
izations of any kind associated 
with oil and gas or geothermal 
leases; 
(bb) new coal leases (includ-
ing leases by application in proc-
ess, renewals, modifications, or ex-
pansions of existing leases), per-
mits, approvals, or authoriza-
tions; or 
(cc) new mineral patents, 
leases, claims, permits, approvals, 
or authorizations; or 
(II) a withdrawal of Federal land 
from— 
(aa) forms of entry, appro-
priation, or disposal under the 
public land laws; 
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(bb) location, entry, and pat-
ent under the mining laws; or 
(cc) disposition under laws 
pertaining to mineral and geo-
thermal leasing or mineral mate-
rials. 
(B) DESIGNEE OF THE PRESIDENT.—The 
term ‘‘designee of the President’’ means— 
(i) the Secretary of Agriculture; 
(ii) the Secretary of Energy; 
(iii) the Secretary of the Interior; and 
(iv) the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency. 
(C) MINERAL.—The term ‘‘mineral’’ means 
any mineral subject to sections 2319 through 
2344 of the Revised Statutes (commonly known 
as the ‘‘Mining Law of 1872’’) (30 U.S.C. 22 et 
seq.), and minerals located on lands acquired by 
the United States (as defined in section 2 of the 
Mineral Leasing Act for Acquired Lands (30 
U.S.C. 351)). 
(2) ACTIVITY
TO
BE
CARRIED
OUT.—Notwith-
standing any other provision of law, the President, or 
a designee of the President, may carry out an activity 
only if the Secretary of the Interior has fulfilled the 
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activity requirements described in paragraph (3) for 
that activity. 
(3) ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS.—For each activ-
ity, the Secretary of the Interior shall— 
(A) conduct a study to determine if the ac-
tivity, relative to the general population, is like-
ly to— 
(i) impose disproportionate financial 
impacts on at-risk communities; or 
(ii) increase the likelihood that at-risk 
communities will experience energy poverty 
and job losses; 
(B) publish the study on a public website of 
the Department of the Interior; and 
(C) submit to Congress a report on the 
study that describes the study findings under 
subparagraph (A). 
(4) ENERGY POVERTY STUDY.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—On request by an entity 
described in subparagraph (B), a lead agency re-
sponsible for leasing or permitting an energy or 
mineral development project, pipeline project, or 
transmission project on Federal land, in con-
sultation with another agency with jurisdiction 
over that project, shall conduct a study relating 
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to how the project is likely to alleviate energy 
poverty in at-risk communities, including by— 
(i) creating jobs; 
(ii) reducing energy prices; and 
(iii) other relevant measures as deter-
mined by the lead agency, or the entity re-
questing the study. 
(B) STUDY
REQUEST.—An entity spon-
soring an energy or mineral project, pipeline 
project, or transmission project on Federal land 
may request a study for that project pursuant to 
subparagraph (A). 
(5) MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The lead agency, with 
respect to a project to be studied under para-
graph (4)(A), may not begin the study until the 
lead agency has entered into a memorandum of 
understanding with the entity that requested the 
study. 
(B) REQUIREMENTS.—A memorandum of 
understanding entered into under this paragraph 
shall include— 
(i) an agreement regarding a neutral 
third party to conduct the study; 
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(ii) a determination of which entity, 
with the consent of that entity, will bear the 
cost of the study, which may include stake-
holders other than the requestor; and 
(iii) such other aspects of the study 
that the lead agency and the entity that re-
quested the study consider appropriate. 
(c) ENERGY POVERTY STATEMENT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning 30 days after the 
date on which the Director of the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget issues guidance under section 6, an 
agency promulgating any energy rule (including an 
interpretative rule), general statement of policy, devel-
opment or revision of a resource management plan 
(or equivalent document), handbook or manual revi-
sion, or guidance document shall— 
(A) certify that the agency has determined 
the rule, policy, plan, revision, or guidance will 
not result in short-term or long-term energy pov-
erty in at-risk communities; and 
(B) include an energy poverty statement de-
scribed in paragraph (2). 
(2) ENERGY POVERTY STATEMENT.—An energy 
poverty statement referred to in paragraph (1) 
shall— 
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(A) be displayed prominently on the first 
page of the rule, policy, plan, revision, or guid-
ance document; and 
(B) include a justification for the deter-
mination made under paragraph (1)(A). 
SEC. 6. OMB IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE. 
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of 
this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget shall issue guidance to implement this Act. 
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Union Calendar No. 755 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5482 
[Report No. 118–923, Part I] 
A BILL 
To prevent energy poverty and ensure that at-risk 
communities have access to affordable energy. 
DECEMBER 18, 2024 
Reported from the Committee on Natural Resources with 
an amendment 
DECEMBER 18, 2024 
Committees on Energy and Commerce, Agriculture, the 
Budget, and Rules discharged; committed to the Com-
mittee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
and ordered to be printed 
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