House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Frank Lucas (R-OK), Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Brandon Williams (R-NY) joined Rep. Mike Carey (R-OH) to introduce a bill that will improve transparency in clean energy demonstration projects at the Department of Energy (DOE).
The Clean Energy Demonstration Transparency Act requires DOE to submit semiannual reports to Congress on the status of all demonstration activities managed by the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OECD). This Office was established in 2021 by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which, in combination with the Inflation Reduction Act, appropriated more than $27 billion in funding for this office to accelerate clean energy development and manage demonstration projects.
“Alongside Chairman Frank Lucas, Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren, and Energy Subcommittee Chairman Brandon Williams, I’m proud to introduce the Clean Energy Demonstration Act to maintain oversight over DOE’s new Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations,” said Carey. “This office has the ability to spend billions of appropriated tax dollars on new demonstration projects and it is essential we conduct oversight of these projects and guarantee transparency for the American people.”
“I appreciate Rep. Carey’s leadership on this important, good-government bill,” Lucas said. “There have been instances in the past where demonstration projects have been mismanaged, creating serious risks to taxpayers. By requiring semiannual reports to Congress, this bill will add a level of transparency and accountability at the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, ensuring we can stop problems before they start.”
“Achieving our clean energy future requires careful diligence,” said Lofgren. “I was proud to cosponsor this good government bill led by my colleagues, Representative Carey and Chairman Lucas. The OECD, established in 2021 as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is critical to bringing clean energy technologies to market. The Clean Energy Demonstration Transparency Act will further improve OCED by establishing reporting requirements so Congress can monitor the program’s progress and ensure Americans are able to reap the rewards of the significant clean energy research activities that it supports.”
“As an elected official, I believe it is my duty to ensure that government agencies are transparent and accountable in their use of taxpayer dollars,” said Williams. “This bill will help achieve that goal by providing greater transparency in the allocation of funds and in the results of clean energy demonstration projects. The Clean Energy Demonstration Transparency Act will also help us achieve our goals of a cleaner, more sustainable future. By bringing greater accountability and transparency to the Department of Energy's management of clean energy demonstration projects, we can ensure that taxpayer dollars are being used to their fullest potential. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this bill passed and signed into law. This is an important piece of legislation that will have a positive impact on the lives of Americans and future generations to come."