Inside Washington: January 2026
Jump to:
House Hearings Highlight Opportunities for NECA Contractors
2025 Capitol Competition Winners
Save The Date: 2026 Legislative Conference
House Hearings Highlight Opportunities for NECA Contractors
U.S. Seeks Nuclear Energy Expansion
On January 7, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy held a hearing that spotlighted nuclear power as a reliable, affordable solution to accelerating U.S. nuclear deployment as electricity demand is projected to jump 32% over the next five years. Members of Congress in both parties framed deployment as critical to competing with China and Russia, while emphasizing that safety, strong oversight, and public trust are essential to scaling projects nationwide. Amongst several key pieces of legislation highlighted included the bipartisan ADVANCE Act to streamline licensing and the recently approved $2.7 billion Uranium Enrichment Fund to expand domestic fuel supply and reduce foreign dependence.
For NECA contractors, this area of focus represents a major opportunity. In particular, the Government Affairs team submitted into the record questions related to regulatory and statutory burdens preventing nuclear deployment, specific needs related to nuclear-energy specific transmission infrastructure construction, and how to prevent energy bottlenecks.
Grid Cybersecurity and Emergency Response
On January 13, the Energy Subcommittee held a hearing on legislation to strengthen U.S. energy infrastructure against cyber and physical threats. The Government Affairs team is continuing to work with NECA partners on the Subcommittee on protecting the grid against cyber security threats at the national, state, and local level.
During the hearing, the Subcommittee also moved multiple bipartisan pieces of legislation for consideration of the full House of Representatives. Included was the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, which would reauthorize the Department of Energy's grant and technical assistance program for smaller utilities, a provision originally passed as part of the 2022 Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, through October 2030 with $250 million in funding per year.
The program provides rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and small investor-owned utilities with resources to detect, protect, and respond to cyber threats.
NECA Comments on Proposed Clean Water Act Enforcement Implementation
The Supreme Court's May 2023 Sackett decision significantly narrowed federal Clean Water Act jurisdiction by limiting the definition of "Waters of the United States" (WOTUS), the waters subject to federal regulatory authority and more stringent permitting requirements. The Court’s decision ruled that federal jurisdiction covers only traditionally navigable waters, excluding areas such as semi-recurring flood plains, desert wash-out areas, and most man-made irrigation ditches.
Following this ruling, the EPA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have worked to align their regulations with the Sackett framework, providing updated proposed guidance to establish clearer and more consistent jurisdictional standards nationwide.
NECA submitted comments in support of the EPA’s proposed WOTUS guidance and interpretation, which will significantly lower the regulatory burden for contractors operating in impacted environments, particularly near wetlands and in desert regions. The Government Affairs team will continue to monitor this proposal and work with our partners in Congress and relevant federal agencies to highlight the needs of contractors.
Government Shutdown Update
The federal government is facing another shutdown with funding set to expire at midnight on January 30th.
Congress passed a short-term funding deal in November 2025 that ended a historic 43-day shutdown, but that deal only extended funding through January 30th.
While some agencies have already been funded through September (Veteran Affairs, Military Construction projects, Agriculture, FDA, and the Legislative Branch), nine out of twelve annual spending bills still need to pass before the January 30 deadline.
The House passed a package last week covering the following areas: Commerce-Justice-Science (includes Commerce Department, DOJ, NASA, and USTR), Energy and Water Development (includes Army Corps, DOE, and Bureau of Reclamation), and Interior-Environment (including EPA and Interior Department).
While there have been discussions about passing a larger package of remaining bills together, particularly Defense, Labor, HHS, Homeland Security, and Education programs, the situation remains fluid.
NECA is continuing to monitor developments as the January 30 deadline approaches.
2025 Capitol Competition Winners
- Dirksen Group: Arkansas Chapter NECA - $15,920
- Russell Group: North Florida Chapter NECA - $30,300
- Longworth Group: Inland Empire Chapter NECA - $67,100
- Rayburn Group: Puget Sound Chapter NECA - $86,535
Chairman’s Challenge Recap
Congratulations to our 2025 Chairman’s Challenge winner – San Diego Chapter NECA!
- San Diego Chapter: 61 Points
- American Line Builders Chapter: 43 Points
- Chicago & Cook County Chapter: 32 Points
Thank you to every chapter and member who participated! The Chairman’s Challenge strengthens NECA’s grassroots advocacy through in-district congressional engagement, action alerts, and Legislative Conference participation. We look forward to continuing this for 2026!
Both Capitol Competition and Chairman’s Challenge leaderboards have officially reset for the new year.
Save The Date: 2026 Legislative Conference
Join us in Washington, D.C., May 4–6, at the Willard InterContinental. Connect with fellow NECA members, hear what's happening in Congress, and meet with your representatives on the Hill.
