CONGRESS FOR VOTERS

Cliff Bentz (R-OR)

Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act

H.R. 9337 · House bill Energy

A Republican bill with 30 Republican cosponsors · See all 30 cosponsors

Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

In committee

Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.

The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.

Its path through Congress

  1. Introduced
  2. In Committee

What this bill would do

This bill is called the Hydropower Licensing Affordability Act, and it was introduced in the House of Representatives on June 18, 2026. The legislation aims to amend the Federal Power Act to modernize how hydropower licenses are processed. Specifically, the bill focuses on the scope of federal reservation license conditions and prescribed fishways. It limits certain requirements to only apply when they reasonably mitigate direct adverse effects. This is meant to keep our elected officials and federal processes accountable regarding hydropower projects.

Yes· 3 of 7

  • Scored +4

    Would business owners be better off under this?

    Reduces the regulatory and financial burden on hydropower project owners.

  • Scored +3

    Does this put more money into wind, solar and other renewable power?

    Modernizing and reducing the cost of licensing encourages investment in hydropower projects.

  • Scored +2

    Is this likely to grow the economy?

    Streamlining licensing processes for hydropower can reduce costs for energy producers and encourage project development.

The opposite· 3 of 4

  • Scored -4

    Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?

    The bill narrows the scope of fishway and reservation protections to only 'direct adverse effects'.

  • Scored -3

    Would Native Americans be better off under this?

    Restricting license conditions on reservations to only direct adverse effects may reduce protections for tribal lands.

  • Scored -2

    Does this give the federal government more power?

    The bill limits the scope of federal agency requirements for licensing conditions.