# 119-hr-626: Northwest Energy Security Act

119-hr-626, Northwest Energy Security Act, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (R-WA); status in_committee; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-04-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-626
- As of: 2026-04-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-626
- Congress: 119
- Title: Northwest Energy Security Act
- Status: in_committee
- Introduced: 2025-01-22
- Sponsor: Rep. Newhouse, Dan [R-WA-4] (R-WA)
- Cosponsors: 3
- Policy area: Water Resources Development
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-04-21

## Summary

**Locks operation of the Federal Columbia River Power System to the 2020 Columbia River System Operations Record of Decision.** It would also bar changes that cut hydroelectric generation or limit Snake River navigation unless Congress enacts a new law and sets a narrow amendment path for agency leaders to follow. - Federal water and power managers would be required to run the FCRPS consistent with the reasonable and prudent alternative in the September 2020 Record of Decision. - The Secretaries of the Interior, Energy, and the Army would have sole discretion to amend operations, but only to address public safety, transmission and grid reliability, or when requirements are no longer warranted, using a defined amendment process that must remain consistent with that alternative. - Structural changes, actions, studies, or engineering plans that would restrict electrical generation at FCRPS dams or limit navigation on the Snake River in Washington, Oregon, or Idaho could not proceed without a new federal statute. - The bill preserves agency authority to perform operation and maintenance and to make capital improvements needed to meet authorized project purposes.

## Cosponsors (3)

- Rep. Baumgartner, Michael [R-WA-5] (R-WA), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Fulcher, Russ [R-ID-1] (R-ID), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Bentz, Cliff [R-OR-2] (R-OR), 2025-01-22T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Keep Northwest hydropower and navigation: benefit, medium. If enacted, this bill would require federal agencies to run the Federal Columbia River Power System like the 2020 plan. They could change it only if all three Secretaries agree it is needed for public safety or grid reliability, or if old requirements no longer make sense, and any change would stil…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act
- 119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-2074: POWER Act
- 119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025
- 119-hr-649: Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-626 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/626)

## Related
- [119-hr-9237: Take Care of America’s Veterans Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9237)
- [119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1383)
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-2074: POWER Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2074)
- [119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-979)
- [119-hr-649: Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-649)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-626 (as of 2026-04-21).