On September 9, 2015, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources reported S. 2012 , the Energy Policy Modernization Act, a major energy bill with provisions addressing energy efficiency, critical infrastructure, energy supplies (fossil, renewable, and nuclear), energy financing and markets, and critical minerals, among other topics. The Senate passed S. 2012 on April 20, 2016. On May 25, 2016, the House passed an amended version of S. 2012 which contains the text of H.R. 8 , as well as the text of several other energy and natural resources-related bills. The following day, the House moved to insist upon its amendment, and to appoint conferees to resolve the differences in S. 2012 . On July 12, the Senate agreed to the request for a conference, and appointed conferees. In addition to energy policy provisions, both versions of S. 2012 contain many natural resources and environmental provisions including provisions on fish and wildlife recreation and federal land conveyances. The Senate version includes permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund and reauthorization of EPA's Brownfields Program, while the House version includes provisions on National Forest management and drought relief. The House-passed bill would have eliminated restrictions on the export of U.S.-produced crude oil. However, this provision was included in the FY2016 Consolidated Appropriations Act ( P.L. 114-113 ). The House-passed bill also includes provisions on the physical security of the electric grid. Two of these provisions—on critical electric infrastructure security and a strategic transformer reserve—were included in the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act ( P.L. 114-94 ). This report summarizes recent congressional actions on S. 2012 , and briefly discusses key topics covered by the Senate- and House-passed versions of the bills that may be addressed in conference. For a side-by-side table identifying comparable and non-comparable provisions in the House and Senate-passed versions of S. 2012 , see CRS Report R44569, Energy Legislation: Comparable Provisions in S. 2012 as Passed by the House and Senate . July 22, 2015: House Committee on Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power approved draft text that would become H.R. 8 September 16, 2015: Bill introduced September 29-30, 2015: House Committee on Energy and Commerce markup September 30, 2015: Ordered reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce November 19, 2015: Reported by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce ( H.Rept. 114-347 ) December 1-3, 2015: House consideration December 3, 2015: Passed House July 28-30, 2015: Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources markup of various energy-related bills, some of which would be incorporated into S. 2012 September 9, 2015: S. 2012 reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources ( S.Rept. 114-138 ) January 27, 2016: Senate consideration began April 20, 2016: Passed Senate May 24, 2016: House Rules Committee reports House amendment to S. 2012 (including provisions from H.R. 8 and several other bills) May 25, 2016: House consideration and passage, motion that House insist upon its amendment May 26, 2016: House appointed conferees July 12, 2016: Senate disagreed with House amendment, agreed to conference, and appointed conferees Both bills would authorize new emergency authority for the Secretary of Energy during grid emergencies, however they differ regarding the nature of the emergency threat or event. The Senate version would authorize emergency measures only in case of a cyber threat whereas the House version would authorize them for any major threat to the grid—cyber or physical—and would include natural events (e.g., geomagnetic storms). While both bills would require the Department of Energy (DOE) to establish programs promoting cyber-secure technologies, the Senate bill would be more expansive, including risk modeling for all grid threats (not just cyber threats) and possible changes to the Electricity Sector Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC). The House version also includes provisions to create a strategic transformer reserve; the Senate version does not. The House version includes three sections primarily directed at the security of the electric grid. As noted above, provisions similar to Sections 1104 and 1105 were included in P.L. 114-94 . In Title I—Modernizing and Protecting Infrastructure, Subtitle A addresses energy delivery, reliability, and security. Section 1104 (Critical Electric Infrastructure Security) would provide the Secretary of Energy additional authority to order emergency measures to protect or restore the reliability of critical civilian or defense electric infrastructure during a grid security emergency upon a written determination of the President. Section 1105 (Strategic Transformer Reserve) would require the Secretary of Energy to submit to Congress a plan for a strategic transformer reserve. Section 1106 (Cyber Sense) would require the Secretary of Energy to establish a voluntary program to identify and promote cyber-secure products for the bulk-power grid. For products in the program, the section would require the Secretary to establish and maintain cybersecurity vulnerability reporting processes and a related database, promulgate related regulations, provide technical assistance to grid stakeholders, oversee testing, and provide other support. The Senate version includes two sections primarily directed at electric grid security: Section 2001 (Cybersecurity Threats) would provide the Secretary of Energy additional authority to order immediate emergency measures to avert or mitigate a cybersecurity threat upon receiving notice from the President that such a threat exists. The section would also increase protection of critical electric infrastructure information. Section 2002 (Enhanced Grid Security) would designate DOE as the lead sector-specific agency for cybersecurity for the energy sector, with specific mandates to Carry out an energy sector cybersecurity research, development, and demonstration program, Establish a cybertesting and mitigation program for energy sector supply chain products, Provide operational support for energy sector cyberresilience, Develop a program for modeling and assessing energy infrastructure risks in the face of natural and human-made threats (cyber and physical), and Explore alternative structures and funding mechanisms to expand industry participation in the E-ISAC. Both the House and Senate versions of S. 2012 contain provisions for a review of Regional Transmission Organization or Independent System Operator (collectively RTOs) performance and market operations with regard to reliability and resiliency, ostensibly in the wake of new federal agency rules which could affect fuel diversity in electric generation. Options and funding for modernization of the grid to improve resiliency are addressed by various provisions in both bills. The House version of S. 2012 has a provision that would protect parties from liability if an emergency order to provide grid services conflicted with environmental regulations or law. The Senate version has provisions for developing micro-grids and expediting transmission siting. The Senate version also would require FERC to issue a report evaluating the effect of increasing dispatch of distributed generation and micro-grids on electric system reliability. The House version devotes Title I, "Modernizing and Protecting Infrastructure," to grid modernization and reliability topics. Subtitle A addresses energy delivery, reliability, and security. Section 1102 (Resolving Environmental and Grid Reliability Conflicts) would authorize FERC to ensure that an emergency order for the generation, delivery, interchange, or transmission of electricity which results in a conflict with a federal, state, or local environmental requirement, regulation, or law, is applicable only during the hours necessary to meet the emergency and minimizes any adverse environmental impacts. An action or omission taken by a party necessary to comply with an emergency order issued under this subsection would not be considered a violation of such environmental law or regulation, and the party would not be subject to any requirement, civil or criminal liability, or citizen suit under the environmental law or regulation, even if a court action subsequently stayed, modified, or set aside the emergency order. Section 1103 (Emergency Preparedness for Energy Supply Disruptions) would authorize the Secretary of Energy to enhance emergency preparedness for natural disasters. A list of activities is specified to improve communications and leverage industry cooperation in emergency situations. Section 1107 (State Coverage and Consideration of PURPA Standards for Electric Utilities) would require states to consider three new voluntary standards under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA; 16 U.S.C. 2621(d)): Requiring each electric utility to develop a plan to improve the resiliency of electric infrastructure; Requiring electric utilities to develop and implement a plan for deploying advanced energy analytics (AEA), and requiring each state to consider and confirm the recovery of costs for procurement, deployment, and usage of AEA technology by electric utilities; and Requiring electric utilities to adopt or modify policies to ensure that reliable generation is incorporated into their integrated resource plans over a 10-year period. Section 1108 (Reliability Analyses for Certain Rules that Affect Electric Generating Facilities) would require FERC—in consultation with the Electric Reliability Organization—to conduct an independent reliability assessment of any proposed or final rule issued by a federal agency for which compliance with the rule may impact an electric utility, resulting in closure or interruption to operations of its generating units. Section 1110 (Reliability and Performance Assurance in Regional Transmission Organizations) would require each RTO that operates a capacity market (or a comparable market intended to ensure the procurement and availability of sufficient future electric energy resources) to provide FERC an analysis of how the structure of the market utilizes competitive market forces (while ensuring reliable system operation) in procuring capacity resources. FERC would be required to evaluate such analyses and submit a report to Congress evaluating the market structures.