Markup of the Slaughter Our Sequoias Act, Permit Reform Bills, Light Bulb Inefficiency, and Other Legislation

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
366 Dirksen

09/30/2026 at 10:00AM

Full committee markup of the following 54 pieces of legislation. Many of the bills were previously scheduled to be considered at the July 29 markup.

Controversial bills include:

  • S. 1568, the Liberating Incandescent Technology Act, a bill to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to modify standards for general service lamps, and for other purposes. (Mr. Lee) The bill would reverse and prohibit energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs.
  • S. 2970, a bill to authorize the use of off-highway vehicles in certain areas of the Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. (Mr. Lee)
  • S. 4103/H.R. 2709, the Save Our Sequoias Act, a bill to permit logging of giant sequoia groves in the name of “protecting” them, and for other purposes. (Mr. Padilla/Rep. Fong) The bill would expedite harmful logging operations in the groves and their surrounding landscapes by minimizing environmental studies and community involvement that usually inform the decision-making processes.
  • H.R. 677, the Expedited Appeals Review Act, a bill to establish a process to expedite the review of appeals of certain decisions by the Department of the Interior. (Rep. Hageman) The bill would fast-track public land disputes by imposing a six-month deadline on the Interior Board of Land Appeals, which no longer has court deference because of the Loper Bright decision ending the Chevron doctrine.

Full list of legislation:

  1. S. 365/H.R. 1729, the Bolts Ditch Act, a bill to amend the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act to allow for additional entities to be eligible to complete the maintenance work on Bolts Ditch and the Bolts Ditch Headgate within the Holy Cross Wilderness, Colorado. (Mr. Bennet/Rep. Neguse)
  2. S. 462, the Truckee Meadows Public Lands Management Act, a bill to provide for economic development and conservation in Washoe County, Nevada, and for other purposes. (Ms. Rosen)
  3. S. 465, the GRID Power Act, a bill to require the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reform the interconnection queue process for the prioritization and approval of certain projects, and for other purposes. (Mr. Hoeven)
  4. S. 730, the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of the Interior to conduct a study to assess the suitability and feasibility of establishing the African Burial Ground International Memorial Museum and Educational Center at the African Burial Ground National Monument, and for other purposes. (Mrs. Gillibrand)
  5. S. 764, the Colorado Outdoor Receation and Economy Act, a bill to provide for the designation of certain wilderness areas, recreation management areas, and conservation areas in the State of Colorado, and for other purposes. (Mr. Bennett)
  6. S. 791, the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site Establishment Act, a bill to establish the Justice Thurgood Marshall National Historic Site in the State of Maryland as an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other purposes. (Mr. Van Hollen)
  7. S. 888, the Oregon Recreation Enhancement Act, a bill to designate certain land administered by the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service in the State of Oregon as wilderness and national recreation areas, to withdraw certain land located in Curry County and Josephine County, Oregon, from all forms of entry, appropriation, or disposal under the public land laws, location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and operation under the mineral leasing and geothermal leasing laws, and for other purposes. (Mr. Wyden)
  8. S. 945, the Smith River National Recreation Area Expansion Act, a bill to amend the Smith River National Recreation Area Act to include certain additions to the Smith River National Recreation Area, to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain wild rivers in the State of Oregon, and for other purposes. (Mr. Merkley)
  9. S. 1005, the Southern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, a bill to provide for conservation and economic development in the State of Nevada, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto)
  10. S. 1088, the World War II Women’s Memorial Location Act, a bill to provide that the memorial to commemorate the sacrifice and service of the women who worked on the home front to support the efforts of the United States military during World War II may be located on the National Mall, and for other purposes. (Mrs. Shaheen)
  11. S. 1195, the Pershing County Economic Development and Conservation Act, a bill to promote conservation, improve public land management, and provide for sensible development in Pershing County, Nevada, and for other purposes. (Ms. Rosen)
  12. S. 1254, a bill to amend the Aquifer Recharge Flexibility Act to clarify a provision relating to conveyances for aquifer recharge purposes. (Mr. Risch)
  13. S. 1341, the Sarvis Creek Wilderness Completion Act, a bill to amend the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1993 to add certain land to the Sarvis Creek Wilderness, and for other purposes. (Mr. Hickenlooper)
  14. S. 1342, the Weatherization Assistance Program Improvements Act , a bill to amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to improve the weatherization assistance program, and for other purposes. (Mr. Reed)
  15. S. 1349, the Ruby Mountains Protection Act, a bill to withdraw the National Forest System land in the Ruby Mountains subdistrict of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the National Wildlife Refuge System land in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Elko and White Pine Counties, Nevada, from operation under the mineral leasing laws. (Ms. Cortez Masto)
  16. S. 1476, the M.H. Dutch Salmon Greater Gila Wild and Scenic River Act, a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate certain segments of the Gila River system in the State of New Mexico as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, to provide for the transfer of administrative jurisdiction over certain Federal land in the State of New Mexico, and for other purposes. (Mr. Heinrich)
  17. S. 1568, the Liberating Incandescent Technology Act, a bill to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to modify standards for general service lamps, and for other purposes. (Mr. Lee) The bill would reverse and prohibit energy-efficiency standards for light bulbs.
  18. S. 1737, the Wild Olympics Wilderness and Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, a bill to designate and expand wilderness areas in Olympic National Forest in the State of Washington, and to designate certain rivers in Olympic National Forest and Olympic National Park as wild and scenic rivers, and for other purposes. (Mrs. Murray)
  19. S. 1777, the Joshua Tree National Park Expansion Act, a bill to amend the California Desert Protection Act of 1994 to expand the boundary of Joshua Tree National Park, to redesignate the Cottonwood Visitor Center at Joshua Tree National Park as the “Dianne Feinstein Visitor Center”, and for other purposes. (Mr. Padilla)
  20. S. 1870, the Rim of the Valley Corridor Preservation Act, a bill to adjust the boundary of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to include the Rim of the Valley Corridor, and for other purposes. (Mr. Schiff)
  21. S. 2570, the Energy Savings and Weatherization Reauthorization Act , a bill to amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to reauthorize the weatherization assistance program. (Mr. Coons)
  22. S. 2970, a bill to authorize the use of off-highway vehicles in certain areas of the Capitol Reef National Park, Utah. (Mr. Lee)
  23. S. 3371, the National Museum of the Blind People’s Movement Act, a bill to designate the Museum of the Blind People’s Movement in Baltimore, Maryland, as the “National Museum of the Blind People’s Movement”. (Mr. Van Hollen)
  24. S. 3499/H.R. 3638, the Electric Supply Chain Act, a bill to require the Secretary of Energy to prepare periodic assessments and submit reports on the supply chain for the generation and transmission of electricity, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto/Rep. Latta)
  25. S. 3524/H.R. 7618, the American Battlefield Protection Program Amendments Act , a bill to amend title 54, United States Code, to modify certain cost-sharing requirements for grant programs under the American Battlefield Protection Program, and for other purposes. (Mr. McCormick/Rep. Kiggans)
  26. S. 3526, the Protecting Unique and Beautiful Landscapes by Investing in California Lands Act, a bill to provide for the protection of and investment in certain Federal land in the State of California, and for other purposes. (Mr. Padilla)
  27. S. 3542, the Upper Raritan River Watershed Wild and Scenic River Study Act , a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Upper Raritan River Watershed in the State of New Jersey for study for potential addition to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. (Mr. Booker)
  28. S. 3695, the Santini-Burton Modernization Act, a bill to amend Public Law 96–586 to modernize the authority of the Forest Service to acquire and administer land under that Act, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto)
  29. S. 3737, the Growing Resilient Operations from Water Saving and Municipal-Agricultural Reciprocally-beneficial Transactions Act, a bill to amend the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 to provide financial and technical assistance to eligible entities for the conduct of innovative approaches to voluntary water partnership agreements among multiple water users and projects conducted by individual agricultural entities, and for other purposes. (Mr. Padilla)
  30. S. 3785, the North Rim and Kaibab National Forest Restoration Act, a bill to authorize direct emergency acquisition flexibilities for the National Park Service and Forest Service for the purpose of retaining, vetting, approving, and expediting contractor approval for the clearing, rebuilding, maintenance, and improvement of areas of the Grand Canyon National Park and Kaibab National Forest damaged by certain wildfires, and for other purpose. (Mr. Gallego)
  31. S. 3925, the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park Act, a bill to establish the Julius Rosenwald and Rosenwald Schools National Historical Park, and for other purposes. (Mr. Durbin)
  32. S. 4005, the Responsible Containment Reauthorization Act, a bill amend the Uranium Mill Tailings Radiation Control Act of 1978 to extend the authorization of a disposal site in Mesa County, Colorado, until the site is filled to designed capacity. (Mr. Hickenlooper)
  33. S. 4023, the America’s Living Library Act, a bill to establish the America’s Living Library Project, and for other purposes. (Mr. Young)
  34. S. 4103/H.R. 2709, the Save Our Sequoias Act, a bill to permit logging of giant sequoia groves in the name of “protecting” them, and for other purposes. (Mr. Padilla/Rep. Fong) The bill would expedite harmful logging operations in the hgroves and their surrounding landscapes by minimizing environmental studies and community involvement that usually inform the decision-making processes.
  35. S. 4116, the Geothermal Power Opportunity With Expanded Regions Act, a bill to advance next-generation geothermal electricity generation demonstration projects in new regions, and for other purposes. (Mr. Hickenlooper)
  36. S. 4166/H.R. 7257, the Securing Community Upgrades for a Resilient Grid Act, a bill to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require States to include supporting the physical security, cybersecurity, and resilience of local distribution systems in State energy security plans, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto/Rep. Latta)
  37. S. 4200, the Douglas County Economic Development and Conservation Act, a bill to promote conservation, improve public land, and provide for sensible development in Douglas County, Nevada, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto)
  38. S. 4252, the WIPP Economic Assistance Assurance Act, a bill to amend the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant Land Withdrawal Act to ensure that economic assistance payments under that Act continue until the closure of the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, and for other purposes. (Mr. Heinrich)
  39. S. 4312, the Federal Mechanical Insulation Act, a bill to amend the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to include the installation of mechanical insulation property as an energy or water efficiency measure, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto)
  40. S. 4351, the Energy Consumer Protection Act, a bill to amend the Federal Power Act and the Natural Gas Act with respect to the enforcement of certain provisions, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto)
  41. S. 4406, the Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act, a bill to amend the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to direct research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities in support of next-generation geothermal systems in various conditions, and for other purposes. (Ms. Cortez Masto)
  42. S. 4595, the Mullica River Watershed Wild and Scenic River Study Act, a bill to amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Mullica River watershed in New Jersey for study for potential designation as a wild and scenic river, and for other purposes. (Mr. Kim)
  43. S. 4846, the Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Program Act, a bill to amend the United States-Mexico Transboundary Aquifer Assessment Act to reauthorize the United States-Mexico transboundary aquifer assessment program. (Mr. Kelly)
  44. S. 4870, the Earth MRI Reauthorization Act, a bill to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the Earth Mapping Resources Initiative, and for other purposes. (Ms. Murkowski)
  45. S. 5352, the Desalination Reauthorization Act, a bill to amend the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and the Water Desalination Act of 1996 to reauthorize certain desalination programs, and for other purposes. (Mr. Padilla)
  46. S. 5359, the Pennington County Land Conveyance Act, a bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to convey to Pennington County, South Dakota, certain National Forest System land. (Mr. Thune)
  47. S. 5360, the Rural and Municipal Utility Cybersecurity Act, a bill to amend the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to reauthorize the Rural and Municipal Utility Advanced Cybersecurity Grant and Technical Assistance Program, and for other purposes. (Mr. McCormick)
  48. S. 5374, a bill to facilitate the conveyance of certain land in Bonners Ferry, Idaho, platted under section 2387 of the Revised Statutes, and for other purposes. (Mr. Risch)
  49. S. 5402, a bill to extend authorizations for aquatic ecosystem restoration projects, multi-benefit watershed health projects, and WaterSMART grants, and for other purposes. (Mr. Wyden)
  50. H.R. 249, a bill to redesignate certain facilities at Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park in honor of Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (Rep. Pallone)
  51. H.R. 677, the Expedited Appeals Review Act, a bill to establish a process to expedite the review of appeals of certain decisions by the Department of the Interior. (Rep. Hageman) The bill would fast-track public land disputes by imposing a six-month deadline on the Interior Board of Land Appeals, which no longer has court deference because of the Loper Bright decision ending the Chevron doctrine.
  52. H.R. 2306, the Adams Memorial-Great American Heroes Act, a bill to reauthorize the Adams Memorial Commission, and for other purposes. (Rep. Moolenaar)
  53. H.R. 2317, the Northern Nevada Economic Development and Conservation Act, a bill to provide for transfer of ownership of certain Federal lands in northern Nevada, to authorize the disposal of certain Federal lands in northern Nevada for economic development, to promote conservation in northern Nevada, and for other purposes. (Rep. Amodei)
  54. H.R. 5729, the North Rim Restoration Act, a bill to authorize direct emergency acquisition flexibilities for the National Park Service for the purpose of retaining, vetting, approving, and expediting contractor approval for the clearing, rebuilding, maintenance, and improvement of the Grand Canyon grounds that have been impacted by the Dragon Bravo Fire. (Rep. Crane)