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HR8548Rep. Kamlager-Dove, Sydney [D-CA-37] (D-CA)
introduced
HR4785119th CongressWALLET
Ethics in Energy Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
Introduced
Summary
Stops utilities from billing customers for political influence activities. The Ethics in Energy Act of 2025 would bar covered electric and major natural gas utilities from recovering payments tied to lobbying, political advertising, trade association dues, and other efforts to influence government or public opinion. It would also force detailed public reporting and create scaled penalties and rebates to keep those costs off ratepayers.
Show full summary
- Households and ratepayers: Would no longer be charged for utilities' political influence expenses and could receive rebates for improper past recoveries.
- Covered utilities and affiliates: Would face new annual, itemized reporting rules with unredacted billing and payee details and strict accounting changes. Violations trigger penalties that start at at least the recovered amount and rise with the size of the expense, with a cap of up to 20 times the expense.
- Federal regulators and enforcement: Would get new duties to rewrite accounting rules and enforce the ban within 18 months, and half of collected penalties would fund stronger Commission enforcement while half funds ratepayer rebates.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Fines and rebates when utilities overcharge
After rules are in place, if a covered utility charges customers for a covered political expense, FERC could fine it. For expenses under $1 million, the fine would be at least the same amount. For $1 million to $10 million, at least double. For over $10 million, at least triple. Any fine could not exceed 20 times the expense, and utilities could not bill customers for fines. Half of any collected fine would go back to customers as a rebate, and half would fund FERC enforcement. The bill would also make clear FERC could order refunds or rebates for covered expenses charged before enactment.
Stop utility charges for political spending
FERC would have 18 months to ban covered utilities from billing customers for political influence costs. Accounting rules would be changed so these costs go in accounts that are not recoverable in rates. Political influence costs would include spending to sway laws, rules, elections, public opinion, dues to trade groups or some 501(c) groups, and related ads or PR. It would also cover affiliate invoices and employee salary for that work. Covered utilities would include electric utilities that meet any of these in each of the last 3 years: 1,000,000 MWh total sales, 100 MWh sales for resale, 500 MWh exchanges delivered, or 500 MWh wheeling. It would also include major gas companies moving or storing more than 50,000,000 Dth for a fee in each of the last 3 years, and centralized service companies.
Yearly spending reports from big utilities
Within 18 months and then every year, each covered utility would file an itemized report. It would list billing amounts and dates, who was paid, third‑party vendors, job titles, the part of salaries tied to this work, account codes, and the purpose. The dollar threshold for reporting affiliate deals would be removed, so all such transactions must be reported.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Rep. Castor, Kathy [D-FL-14]
FL • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Matsui, Doris O. [D-CA-7]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. McClellan, Jennifer L. [D-VA-4]
VA • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14]
NY • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1]
ME • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. Thanedar, Shri [D-MI-13]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 7/29/2025
Rep. Lee, Summer L. [D-PA-12]
PA • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Rep. Levin, Mike [D-CA-49]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/1/2025
Rep. Huffman, Jared [D-CA-2]
CA • D
Sponsored 8/5/2025
Friedman
CA • D
Sponsored 8/8/2025
Rep. Mullin, Kevin [D-CA-15]
CA • D
Sponsored 9/10/2025
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
VA • D
Sponsored 3/18/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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