April 10, 2025
🍻 We can almost taste recess on the horizon (tastes like beer). For the next two weeks we'll plan to publish Tuesdays and Thursdays — unless news breaks.
- By the way … the House adopted the budget resolution this morning.
🌵 Calling New Mexico readers: Join Nick and Axios' Chuck McCutcheon on Wednesday at 10am MT in Santa Fe for an event exploring the state's clean energy efforts. RSVP here.
🎶 Today's last song is from Nick: "40oz. to Freedom" by Sublime.
1 big thing: 119th Congress legislative tracker

Lawmakers are heading out of town, so it's time to break out the Axios Pro legislative tracker for the first time this Congress, Nick and Daniel write.
Why it matters: It's still early, so there's a lot of red on the chart. But committees are finally beginning to move individual bills, and reconciliation is trickling along.
- We'll keep you posted in the next version on more movement on nuclear, mining, transmission and the components of a possible permitting bill.
Mine facilities permitting
The issue: The Mining Regulatory Clarity Act would ease permitting for mills, shafts, crushers and waste facilities after the 2022 Rosemont decision.
Status: Introduced in the House. Approved by Senate ENR.
What's next: Some Democrats want to add language to fund mine reclamation, but senators generally view the bill as a piece of a broader mining or permitting deal.
Making copper "critical"
The issue: The Critical Minerals Consistency Act would add copper to Interior's list of "critical minerals."
Status: Introduced in the House. Hearing held by Senate ENR.
What's next: This could also be part of a larger deal down the road, but ENR Chair Mike Lee postponed a planned committee vote this week as senators consider revised language.
Fast-tracking power plants
The issue: The GRID Power Act would aim to prioritize "dispatchable" generation in interconnection queues.
Status: Introduced in the House. Introduced in the Senate.
What's next: It could be included in a markup of energy bills that Rep. Bob Latta is planning after the Easter recess.
Hydropower ITC
The issue: Bipartisan legislation that would provide an investment tax credit for dam safety and environmental improvements.
Status: Introduced in the House. Introduced in the Senate.
What's next: Sen. Lisa Murkowski wants to do it in reconciliation, but it could get lost in the shuffle of GOP priorities.
ESA overhaul
The issue: House Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman's legislation that would amend the Endangered Species Act.
Status: Subcommittee hearing held in House Natural Resources. No action in the Senate.
What's next: It will likely move out of committee soon, but Democrats and environmentalists largely oppose it.
Low-carbon cement R&D
The issue: Bipartisan legislation, known in the House as the IMPACT Act, that would create a DOE program to research and support low-emissions cement, concrete and asphalt.
Status: Passed the House. Introduced in the Senate.
What's next: It has a real chance of passing both chambers, but its future is murky amid broader program and staff cuts at DOE.
Geothermal permitting
The issue: The bipartisan GEO Act would require the Interior Department to process all geothermal applications within 60 days of completing reviews.
Status: Introduced in the House. No Senate action.
What's next: The bill, along with several other geothermal proposals, got bipartisan support in the Senate last Congress and could catch a ride in a permitting overhaul.
Year-round E15
The issue: The bipartisan Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act would allow the year-round blending of up to 15% ethanol into the nation's gasoline supply.
Status: Introduced in the Senate. Introduced in the House.
What's next: Midwestern lawmakers will try to get it included in must-pass legislation this year.
IRA tax credit rescissions
The issue: Republicans want to repeal or curtail the IRA's clean energy tax credits in reconciliation but face internal resistance in both House and Senate.
Status: No formal action, but budget resolution passed both chambers.
What's next: The budget resolution is done. Now comes the real work in committees of developing the reconciliation bill.
2. Casten revamping transmission bill
Rep. Sean Casten is trying again on transmission, but he's skeptical that anything will get done this Congress, Nick writes.
Why it matters: Casten's Clean Electricity and Transmission Acceleration Act is a key marker for House Democrats in the larger debate about transmission and permitting.
- If nothing happens with it this Congress, it could resurface if his party takes back the House in next year's midterms.
Driving the news: Casten told Nick he doesn't have a timeline for reintroduction yet but said there are "small pieces that might be bipartisan."
- "We're going to drop those individually," he said. "There's a few pieces where we've gotten some feedback and [are] trying to improve it."
- CETA, as introduced last Congress, rolled together a bunch of Democratic proposals on transmission.
- Among other things, it proposed to direct FERC to issue new rules for siting and make big changes to cost allocation for transmission and how planning regions interact.
Yes, but: Casten doesn't think this conversation is going anywhere as long as Republicans control Congress.
- "I think there's a certain naivete that if we just talk long enough, the Republicans will come around on transmission," he said.
- "They're not coming around on transmission because it's a competitive threat to the people who pay their bills."
3. Catch me up: Granholm resurfaces
👀 1. A new holm: Former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has joined DGA Group as a senior counselor, where she'll work on grid modernization, supply chain and various other energy issues.
☢️ 2. HALEUluja: DOE today announced a round of five conditional commitments to provide high-assay low-enriched uranium — the fuel needed for advanced and small reactor designs — to nuclear developers.
- The recipients are Triso-X, Kairos Power, Radiant Industries, Westinghouse Electric and TerraPower.
🛑 3. IRA defense: Murkowski, John Curtis, Thom Tillis and Jerry Moran signed a letter released today urging Senate leaders to protect the IRA's energy credits from cuts in budget reconciliation.
- Four Republican "no" votes would be enough to sink any party-line legislation in the upper chamber, we reported earlier.
🌲 4. Sgamma out: As we also reported earlier, the White House has withdrawn Kathleen Sgamma's nomination to head the BLM. In private comments that surfaced on X she said she was "disgusted" by Trump "spreading misinformation" on the Jan. 6 attacks.
💦 5. CRA action: The Senate joined the House today in approving a CRA resolution that would block the Biden administration's attempt to ban certain natural gas water heaters.
✅ Thank you for reading Axios Pro Policy, and thanks to editors Chuck McCutcheon and David Nather and copy editor Brad Bonhall.
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