A Republican bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
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
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Preventing Outages With Enhanced Resilience and Operations Nationwide Act of 2026 or the POWER ON Act of 2026. The legislation was introduced in the Senate by Mr. Cornyn and Mr. Padilla on June 18, 2026. Its main purpose is to reauthorize a specific program focused on preventing power outages and making the electric grid more resilient. Section 2 of the bill extends the reauthorization timeline for this program. Specifically, it changes a date from 2026 to 2031 and updates a funding or operational timeframe from 2022 through 2026 to the years 2027 through 2031.
Yes· 3 of 32
- Scored +3
Would people over 65 be better off under this?
Preventing power outages is particularly critical for seniors who rely on uninterrupted medical equipment and climate control.
- Scored +3
Would business owners be better off under this?
Preventing outages ensures business continuity and protects commercial operations from revenue loss.
- Scored +3
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
Reliable electricity is vital for individuals relying on home medical devices and assistive technologies.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
- Section 2: This section extends the program aimed at preventing outages and enhancing electric grid resilience through the year 2031, which is a positive outcome because it keeps the grid improvement program active for an additional five years beyond the previous expiration date.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- None Identified: Based strictly on the text provided in the bill, there are no specific sections or provisions identified that outline negative consequences or burdens for individuals or groups of people in the United States.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — Preventing outages ensures business continuity and protects commercial operations from revenue loss. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — Reliable electricity is vital for individuals relying on home medical devices and assistive technologies. Would retired people be better off under this? — Consistent power reliability protects retired populations living fixed incomes from emergency expenses. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — Outage prevention programs specifically target vulnerabilities affecting rural electric cooperatives and communities. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Preventing power outages is particularly critical for seniors who rely on uninterrupted medical equipment and climate control. Would children be better off under this? — Reliable power ensures continuous operation of schools, healthcare facilities, and home environments for youth. Would farmers be better off under this? — Rural grid enhancements protect agricultural operations that depend on reliable power supplies. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Reducing outages helps lower-income families avoid the financial burdens of spoiled food and utility disruptions. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Reliable electricity helps maintain uninterrupted economic and household productivity. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Stable grid operations protect households from the costs and inconveniences of power failures. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — Grid resilience funding can benefit remote tribal lands prone to infrastructure vulnerabilities. Would union members be better off under this? — Extended infrastructure projects support ongoing employment for utility and construction workers. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Grid improvements help maintain stable power supplies in densely populated metropolitan areas. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Stable power infrastructure benefits modern digital workplaces and residences. Would Black Americans be better off under this? Would Asian Americans be better off under this? Would high-income households be better off under this? Would Hispanic Americans be better off under this? Would men be better off under this? Would students be better off under this? Would white Americans be better off under this? Would women be better off under this?
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — Extending the program ensures continued federal support for preventing outages in rural and remote areas. Does this cut the pollution that drives climate change? — Grid modernization supports better integration and reliability of diverse energy resources. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — Proactive grid hardening reduces the frequency and severity of emergency power failure responses. Does this better protect air, water and wildlife? — Improving grid resilience helps prevent environmental hazards associated with electrical equipment failures and fires.
- Economy And Finance
- Is this likely to grow the economy? — Continued investment in grid infrastructure helps strengthen economic productivity and prevent costly power outages. Does this make it easier to run a small business? — Reliable electrical grid operations support small businesses by preventing costly power disruptions. Is this likely to create jobs? — Extending grid resilience funding can support employment opportunities in infrastructure development and maintenance.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make it easier to do business across state lines? — Reliable interstate electricity transmission supports stable commercial activity across regions. Does this give the federal government more power? — Reauthorizing the grant program maintains ongoing federal involvement in state-level grid projects.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this better protect the country from computer attacks? — Enhancing grid resilience indirectly supports critical infrastructure protection against physical and operational disruptions.
- 6/18/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
Alex PadillaDemocrat · California