Inside Washington: July 2026
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Energy and Commerce Advances Grid Bills and Packages Them into POWER Act
White House Expands Ratepayer Protection Pledge
Tennessee Chapter Hosts Rep. Chuck Fleischmann at JATC Fish Fry
NECA Celebrates National Lineworker Appreciation Day on Capitol Hill
Congress is Home for August – Make It Count!
Energy and Commerce Advances Grid Bills and Packages Them into POWER Act
Before leaving for August recess, the House Energy and Commerce Committee moved aggressively on energy legislation, advancing a slate of grid and electricity bills in a July 20–21 markup, then rolling much of that work into a single, sweeping permitting and cost-reduction bill.
The centerpiece of the markup was the Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340), which cleared committee 52–0. The bipartisan bill directs states to consider requiring large data centers — those drawing 100 megawatts or more — to pay the full cost of the grid upgrades they trigger, keeping those costs off everyday ratepayers.
On July 22, Chairman Brett Guthrie combined that work into the Permitting Our Way to an Energy Resurgence Act (POWER Act). The 96-page discussion draft merges 19 committee bills, many already approved in committee, into one package aimed at speeding federal approvals for pipelines, power generation, transmission, and industrial projects — addressing what the committee sees as slow, unpredictable permitting driving grid unreliability, higher costs, and longer timelines. Guthrie released it as a House marker while the Senate works toward its own permitting deal; whether it reaches the floor before fall remains unclear.
Several other NECA-supported bills are consolidated in the POWER Act, including:
- High-Capacity Grid Act (H.R. 6633, Rep. Fedorchak)
- GRID Power Act (H.R. 1047, Rep. Balderson)
- Electric Supply Chain Act (H.R. 3638, Rep. Latta)
- FENCES Act (H.R. 6409, Rep. Pfluger)
- FIRE Act (H.R. 6387, Rep. Evans)
- RED Tape Act (H.R. 6398, Rep. Joyce)
For NECA contractors, both the individual bills and the POWER Act point the same way: meeting rising demand while holding down costs requires a major buildout of generation, transmission, and grid infrastructure, and faster permitting moves approved projects into construction sooner. It remains a top priority in both chambers.
White House Expands Ratepayer Protection Pledge
Photo Courtesy of The White House
On July 23, President Trump announced an expansion of the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, a voluntary commitment asking data center developers, technology companies, and utilities to cover the full cost of new power generation and grid upgrades their facilities require, rather than passing those costs on to households and small businesses.
First introduced in March with seven major technology companies, the pledge grew with the July expansion to more than 200 additional signatories, including utilities, electric cooperatives, data center developers, and 23 governors. The White House says the coalition now covers roughly 80 percent of the power delivered to American homes and businesses.
Signatories commit to building, securing, or purchasing the generation needed to meet their demand; paying for the delivery infrastructure serving their facilities; and covering those costs through separate rate structures negotiated with utilities and states. The pledge is nonbinding but mirrors the Ratepayer Protection Act moving through the House, which would codify the same principle into law.
For NECA contractors, the significance lies in the scale of the buildout ahead: as data center demand grows, so does the need for new generation, transmission, and grid upgrades — creating opportunities for electrical contractors while supporting a more transparent approach to how these projects are financed.
Tennessee Chapter Hosts Rep. Chuck Fleischmann at JATC Fish Fry
From left to right: Chase Pendergraft (TN Chapter NECA), Curt Sims (Allied Electrical), Charlie Wood (Triad Electric), Rep. Fleischmann (TN-03), Larry Pittsley (Superior Electric), Weston Wamp (Hamilton County Mayor), Mark Fullam (Lawson Electric), Michael Young (Young Electric) and Caleb Bowman (NABCO Electric).
The Tennessee Chapter was proud to welcome Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) to the Chattanooga Electrical JATC Fish Fry on July 8, where he gave remarks and spent time with members and apprentices. A familiar and welcome guest to the local chapter, Fleischmann also met with the Chattanooga Division Board of Directors, Chapter Governor Larry Pittsley, President Curt Sims, and Executive Director Chase Pendergraft.
Rep. Fleischmann chairs the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, which funds the Department of Energy, national laboratories, and the nation's nuclear programs. With Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the Tennessee Valley Authority both in his district, he is one of Congress's leading advocates for nuclear energy — work that intersects directly with the energy and infrastructure priorities driving electrical construction.
NECA thanks Rep. Fleischmann for taking the time to meet with our members and apprentices, and for his continued support of the electrical industry in East Tennessee.
NECA Celebrates National Lineworker Appreciation Day on Capitol Hill
From left to right: Mike Starner (NECA), Rep. Norcross (NJ-01), Anthony D’Arensbourg (Richardson-Wayland Ferreira), Joey Compton (Richardson-Wayland Ferreira), Robbie Foxen (NECA), Rep. Bresnahan (PA-08).
NECA joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and the Edison Electric Institute for a Capitol Hill reception on July 14 recognizing National Lineworker Appreciation Day, the annual observance held July 10 that honors the men and women who build, maintain, and restore the nation's transmission and distribution systems.
NECA's Robbie Foxen, District 10 Executive Director, and Mike Starner, Executive Director of Outside Safety, introduced Rep. Donald Norcross (NJ-01), a former IBEW electrician who spoke about the skill and training behind the trade and the work underway in Congress to grow it and expand the grid.
This year, more than 120 members of Congress cosponsored resolutions in the House and Senate marking the occasion. The reception drew NECA members and congressional supporters, including Rep. Rob Bresnahan (PA-08) and representatives from Richardson-Wayland Ferreira, an American Line Builders Chapter NECA contractor.
Congress is Home for August – Make It Count!
Members of the House of Representatives will be home in their districts for the entire month of August. Congress builds this extended recess into its calendar each year specifically to give members dedicated time back home — not just in election years — to hear from constituents outside the pace of Washington.
That makes this your window to meet with your elected officials and talk through NECA's priority issues. Members of Congress consistently welcome the chance to visit constituents at NECA-IBEW Training Centers, jobsites, chapter offices, or company headquarters. Simply call your local district office and request a meeting at one of these locations.
An in-district visit is your chance to put a face on our industry. Come prepared: know the top issues affecting the industry and bring information specific to your district that shows the impact NECA contractors make locally — things like your employee count or a recent project worth highlighting.
Worth noting: every photo we receive with a Member of Congress (U.S. Senator or of the U.S. House member) earns your chapter five points in the Chairman's Challenge. 😉
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