Subcommittee hearing titled “Powering America’s AI Future: Assessing Policy Options to Increase Data Center Infrastructure.” This hearing will examine the structure, implementation, and oversight of federal permitting frameworks governing the development of energy and data center infrastructure that support artificial intelligence (AI).
Paige Lambermont, Research Fellow, Competitive Enterprise Institute
Marsden Hanna, Head of Energy and Sustainability Policy, Global Affairs Team, Google, LLC
Dr. Eric Masanet, Professor and Mellichamp Chair in Sustainability Science for Emerging Technologies, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, UC Santa Barbara
H.R. 4626, formerly the ‘‘Don’t Mess With My Home Appliances Act,’’ will
raise electricity costs. The bill amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to add burdensome, duplicative, and contradictory procedures to the Department of Energy’s (DOE) processes for issuing energy efficiency standards. It also
gives future administrations the ability to revoke existing standards, potentially violating the statute’s anti-backsliding provisions. The bill
would also prohibit the banning of a product based on a type of fuel
and ban DOE from factoring in social costs of greenhouse gas emissions in its determination. H.R. 4626 was amended in the Subcommittee Markup to further
weaken energy efficiency standards. Language was added to the
bill to extend compliance dates for all products, delaying cost savings for consumers. Moreover, additional cumbersome considerations were included for DOE to examine when issuing efficiency
standards.
H.R. 4758, the
Homeowner Energy Freedom Act, repeals three programs created
by the Inflation Reduction Act: the High-Efficiency Electric Home
Rebate Program, the State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants, and Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy Code Adoption. The bill also rescinds all unobligated
funds for the High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program and
Assistance for Latest and Zero Building Energy Code adoption.
The purpose of this hearing is to examine the current state of U.S. surface transportation research
and to better understand the research and development issues relevant to authorizing surface
transportation programs. The hearing will explore the breadth of existing surface transportation
research efforts. Reviewing the scope of this work will help inform future legislative actions the
Committee may consider to advance surface transportation innovation
Location: 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
Subcommittee: Subcommittee on Research and Technology
Diana Furchtgott-Roth, former Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology at U.S. Department of Transportation former Director of the Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment, The Heritage Foundation
Greg Winfree, Agency Director, Texas A&M Transportation Institute
Dr. Henry Liu, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Director of the Center for Connected and Automated Transportation, Mcity and the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI)
A Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology hearing entitled “Surveying the Threat of Agroterrorism, Part II: Assessing Federal Government Efforts.”
Witnesses:
Suzette Kelly, Acting Executive Director, Agriculture Programs and Trade Liaison, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Matt Allen, Director, Office of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of Agriculture
Jeff Cooper, Program Manager, Probabilistic Analysis for National Threats Hazards and Risks, Science and Technology Directorate, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Dr. Ashley Grant, Senior Health Security and Biodefense Advisor, Office of Health Security, U.S. Department of Homeland Security
On Wednesday, February 11, 2026, at 1:45 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider:
H.R. 755 (Rep. Ciscomani), “Critical Mineral Consistency Act of 2025”
H.R. 1352 (Rep. Subramanyam), To designate the General George C. Marshall House, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, as an affiliated area of the National Park System, and for other purposes.
H.R. 1945 (Rep. Onder), “America’s National Churchill Museum National Historic Landmark Act”
H.R. 219 (Rep. Hudson), To provide for an extension of the legislative authority of the National Emergency Medical Services Memorial Foundation to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs.
H.R. 3706 (Rep. Babin), “Standards for Understanding Source and Habitat Identification Act” or the “SUSHI Act”
H.R. 5497 (Rep. Tiffany), “Apostle Islands National Park and Preserve Act” (Amendments to H.R. 5497 must be drafted to the amendment in the nature of a substitute)
H.R. 6380 (Rep. Ciscomani), “Chiricahua National Park Act”
H.R. 755 modifies the Energy Act of 2020 to expand the definition of critical minerals to include critical materials designated by the Department of Energy (DOE). By expanding the definition of critical minerals, this bill requires the USGS to include on its list the materials on DOE’s list. Within 45 days of DOE adding a mineral, element, substance, or material to its critical materials list, the USGS must update its list to include such mineral, element, substance, or material.
On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., in room 1324 Longworth House Office Building, the Committee on Natural Resources, Subcommittee on Federal Lands will hold a legislative hearing on the following bills:
H.R. 34 (Rep. Gosar), “Land and Social Security Optimization Act” or the “LASSO Act”
H.R. 1329 (Rep. Malliotakis), “Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act”
H.R. 3553 (Rep. Min), “Building Resiliency and Understanding of Shrublands to Halt Fires Act” or the “BRUSH Fires Act”
H.R. 5478 (Rep. Moore of UT), “Fruit Heights Land Conveyance Act of 2025”
Dave Lytle, Deputy Chief, U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. [H.R. 34, H.R. 3553, H.R. 5478, and H.R. 5911]
Ronald Cortez, Under Secretary for Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. [H.R. 1329]
Panel III (Outside Experts):
Michelle Metteer, City Administrator, City of Ouray, Ouray, CO [H.R. 5911]
Darren Frandsen, City Manager, City of Fruit Heights, Fruit Heights, UT [H.R. 5478]
Jane Abraham, Former Chair, American Museum of Women’s History Congressional Commission, Washington, DC [H.R. 1329]
Margaret Byfield, Executive Director, American Stewards of Liberty, Georgetown, TX [H.R. 34]
Chris Hamm, President, Orange County Firefighters IAFF Local 3631, Tustin, CA [H.R. 3553] [Minority Witness]
The “Land And
Social Security Optimization (LASSO) Act,” which would deposit into the Federal Old-Age and
Survivors Insurance (OASI) trust fund, Administered by the Social Security Administration, 10 percent of
federal revenues generated on public lands and waters managed by the Department of the Interior
(DOI) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS).
In 2020, President Trump signed into law the “Smithsonian American Women’s
History Museum Act,” creating the
Smithsonian Institution’s
21st museum, which aims to
recognize “women’s contributions to
various fields and throughout different
periods of history that have influenced the
direction of the United States.” Since this
time, the Museum has been a formally
established institution but lacks a
permanent physical location. Although the legislation stated
that it was “the intent of Congress that the
Museum be located on or near the National
Mall,” a provision also expressly prohibited
the Museum from being located in the
Reserve under the Commemorative Works
Act (CWA). The Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Act authorizes the Smithsonian to locate the American
Women’s History Museum within the Reserve, which broadly encompasses what is known as the National Mall.
H.R. 3553 directs USFS to
carry out a targeted study on 1) the effectiveness of wildfire mitigation methods in shrubland
ecosystems and 2) the severity of damage from brush-related wildland fires to communities.
H.R. 5478, sponsored by Representative Blake Moore (R-UT-01),
conveys approximately 295 acres of USFS land to Fruit Heights to close the gap along the
Bonneville Shoreline Trail.
H.R. 5911, sponsored by Representative Jeff Hurd (R-CO-03), conveys to Ouray, Colo., the Crystal
Reservoir, Full Moon Dam and Ditch, and 45 acres of surrounding land necessary to the Reservoir’s operation and maintenance. H.R. 5911 also conveys to the City all water rights
associated with the covered land and related infrastructure.
S. 282 authorizes NPS to acquire, from willing sellers or donors, up to
2,465 acres of land to provide road access to the 87,500-acre Katahdin Woods
and Waters National Monument from the south. The bill sets general management and administration
guidelines for the Monument that, among other things, protect hunting and fishing access, allow
for the collection of fiddlehead ferns, permit forest management activities, and require the
production of public safety and educational materials to better inform visitors about the
Monument.