Press Releases
The Republican Recap: Week of April 20, 2026
Washington,
April 23, 2026
Here’s a recap of what Republicans achieved on the House Floor this week:
Acknowledging Rural Communities’ Contributions to America ✅
This week, House Republicans passed a resolution to express support for rural communities across America and highlight the work of House Republicans to advance policies that set these communities up for success. Rural communities are a critical source of domestic energy production, feed billions of families, and allow our supply chain to remain America First. For example, these communities produce over 80 percent of the renewable energy and over 60 percent of the coal-generated electricity produced in America. In the 119th Congress, House Republicans have supported rural America by advancing various pieces of legislation that strengthen rural communities, such as bills to unleash American energy production, tackle permitting reform, expand access to broadband, invest in rural health care, bolster grid reliability, lower energy costs, and cut burdensome environmental regulations. It is vital that Congress continue working to support these rural communities that support the rest of America. H. Res. 1182, sponsored by Rep. Clay Fuller, expresses support for rural communities across the United States; acknowledges their work to steward the environment, supply energy, produce food, and stabilize the economy; and recognizes the House’s efforts in the 119th Congress to support these communities.
“I'm proud to have been elected to be a fighter for northwest Georgia. For too long the Democrats have ignored the people of rural Appalachia that I represent. Unfortunately as we see from the results of the floor vote, H. Res. 1182 makes very clear that Republican leaders in this chamber have been and will continue to look out for the needs of America's rural communities, while Democrats quite simply will not,” said Rep. Fuller. What Members Said: Rep. John McGuire highlighted that Republicans have advanced policies to improve the quality of life in rural America, including boosting domestic energy production, strengthening manufacturing, and reducing reduce regulatory burdens.
 The Energy and Commerce Committee underscored that from historic funding for rural hospitals to increasing connectivity across communities, Republicans are supporting all of America's rural communities.
 The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) was established to increase America’s energy efficiency and the availability of renewable energy in the U.S. This legislation included a provision (Section 433) requiring the Secretary of Energy to implement federal building energy standards that shift consumption away from dispatchable fossil fuels and towards renewable energy. Renewable energy has been shown to lack the reliability, consistency, voltage, and frequency support needed to keep the lights on for American communities when we need it most – particularly recently, during extreme weather events like Winter Storm Fern. Restricting our federal buildings to an unreliable, electricity-dependent 'green island' is an inefficient use of energy and wastes taxpayer money to subsidize uncompetitive energy sources that fail to provide 24/7 power. Section 433’s rigid, one-size-fits-all electrification mandate endangers the stability and security of critical infrastructure, jeopardizes our national security, and would grant future administrations the ability to weaponize federal energy policy by restricting reliable, dispatchable fuel sources. Even the Obama Administration encouraged significant reforms to or full elimination of Section 433. House Republicans passed legislation to repeal arbitrary federal energy mandates, streamlining federal infrastructure projects, accelerating project timelines, and saving taxpayer dollars. Rep. Nick Langworthy’s legislation, H.R. 4690, the Reliable Federal Infrastructure Act, repeals Section 433 of EISA, which requires the Department of Energy to revise federal energy efficiency performance standards for new buildings and renovations to phase out the use of on-site, fossil fuel-generated electricity for impacted buildings by 2030. “This bill puts reliability and affordability back at the center of energy policy, where it belongs. Through this legislation, we are ensuring that our critical federal infrastructure is tailored to meet Americans’ needs, not some arbitrary political target,” said Rep. Langworthy. “It will help rein in inflated construction costs, accelerate project timelines, and foster innovation by removing rigid, top-down mandates. This week’s passage marks a win for common-sense, and I urge the Senate to move swiftly to pass this and get it on the President’s desk.” What Members Said: Rep. Mike Rulli emphasized that H.R. 4690 repeals burdensome energy mandates on federal buildings so we can prioritize reliable, affordable power over ideology.
 Chairman Brett Guthrie noted that H.R. 4690 reverses current law’s one-size-fits-all electrification mandate for new and renovated federal buildings that jeopardizes the reliability and security of our nation's critical federal infrastructure.
 Unleashing American Geothermal Energy Production ✅
Geothermal energy is a clean, renewable energy source that provides efficient and dependable power for long periods of time, making it a great resource for the U.S. to diversify our energy supply and restore our energy independence. Currently, however, burdensome regulations restrict American geothermal production on non-federal lands by requiring geothermal operators producing even minuscule amounts of federal resources to adhere to all federal laws and permitting processes. This includes the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which requires several lengthy review stages for geothermal permitting, holding up production for years and preventing geothermal operators from efficiently producing clean energy that can be used to generate electricity, heat American homes, and power industrial processes. We should be promoting geothermal energy production, not placing administrative hurdles in its way. House Republicans passed legislation to unleash geothermal energy and streamline its production by cutting permitting red-tape, promoting American energy independence and lowering costs for hardworking Americans. H.R. 5587, the Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources (HEATS) Act, introduced by Rep. Young Kim, expedites geothermal energy production by exempting geothermal operators from federal drilling permit requirements, including NEPA, for wells on non-federal land where the United States holds an ownership interest of less than 50 percent of the subsurface geothermal estate. “Energy independence has always made America great. Geothermal development will help unleash America’s all-of-the-above energy strategy and power America’s future,” said Rep. Kim. “The HEATS Act cuts unnecessary red tape, strengthens our energy security and supply chains, and brings more affordable, reliable power online. I’m proud to see this vital legislation pass the House. For Californians facing some of the highest energy costs in the country, this relief can’t come soon enough.” What Members Said: Rep. Harriet Hageman made clear that H.R. 5587 helps unleash the heat beneath our feet and provide abundant, clean baseload geothermal power for decades to come by cutting red tape and streamlining development.
 House Republicans celebrated the passage of H.R. 5587, noting it will mean more geothermal energy and less red tape.
Excluding Exceptional Events When Determining Emissions Standards Compliance ✅
Currently, U.S. states can petition the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to exclude emissions from “exceptional events” when evaluating states’ compliance with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). These “exceptional events” include wildfires, high-wind dust events, volcanic or seismic activity, and chemical spills from disasters. However, the EPA’s process for determining if certain emissions meet the criteria for “exceptional events” has become overly restrictive, lacking in clarity and consistency, and excludes a key category of emissions: prescribed burns. Prescribed burns are carefully-planned, intentional fires used by professionals to manage land, reduce wildfire risks, and bolster ecosystem health. Under current law, these prescribed burns are not categorized as “exceptional events”; instead, they are treated the same as factory emissions in EPA evaluations for compliance with federal emissions standards. It is counterproductive to regulate emissions from wildfire mitigation activities differently than naturally occurring wildfires. Such red tape around air quality results in permitting delays, regulatory confusion, fewer jobs, skyrocketing costs, and increased burdens on states, energy producers, and manufacturers. House Republicans passed legislation to make air quality planning more predictable, get rid of unnecessary regulatory burdens, and stop punishing states for proactive wildfire mitigation. Rep. Gabe Evans’ legislation, H.R. 6387, the Fire Improvement and Reforming Exceptional Events (FIRE) Act, amends the Clean Air Act to make sure communities and manufacturers are not penalized for emissions from wildfires, prescribed burns, and other exceptional events when determining compliance with national air quality standards. “For years, Colorado's economy has been burdened by costly, poorly designed regulations that punish small businesses, employers, and families for emissions they can't control — raising costs, stifling job growth, and making it harder for communities to thrive. The FIRE Act is a commonsense solution that lowers costs, slashes red tape, restores fairness, incentivizes wildfire mitigation, and prioritizes practical preventative steps that protect public health while improving air quality,” said Rep. Evans. What Members Said: Rep. Buddy Carter shared his support for H.R. 6387 and emphasized that events outside of a state's control, such as wildfires, should not count towards violations of national ambient air quality standards.
 Rep. Jay Obernolte highlighted that H.R. 6387 provides needed certainty, reduces unnecessary burdens, and supports efforts to protect public health and the environment.
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