Energy

This joint resolution (SJRES 11) directs Congress to disapprove a specific rule issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) concerning "Protection of Marine Archaeological Resources," which was published in the Federal Register on September 3, 2024 (89 Fed. Reg. 71160). The resolution blocks the rule from taking effect, meaning it will have no legal force or authority. This action directly affects activities regulated under the rule, such as offshore energy projects that may impact marine archaeological sites like shipwrecks or submerged cultural resources. The resolution uses the statutory process under Chapter 8 of Title 5, U.S. Code, to override the agency's regulation without creating new policy.

HR 788 requires the Department of Energy (DOE) and Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish formal agreements for joint research and development (R&D) projects. This mandates that small businesses must be included in these collaborative efforts, aligning DOE and SBA missions to advance shared goals like clean energy innovation. The bill creates a two-year reporting requirement for the agencies to Congress, detailing coordination, research achievements, and future collaboration opportunities. It does not authorize new funding and ensures R&D activities comply with existing research security rules.

The POWER Act of 2025 amends the Stafford Act to change how electric utilities receive federal disaster aid. It allows utilities to combine cost-effective hazard mitigation (like hardening infrastructure) with emergency power restoration efforts using the same federal funds. Crucially, it ensures that facilities receiving emergency power restoration assistance under Section 403 remain eligible for separate hazard mitigation funding under Section 406 if they meet other requirements. This directly affects electric utilities seeking federal disaster relief, streamlining their access to funding for both immediate recovery and future resilience.