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Congressional Daily Record
This section captures a floor statement or debate entry. It mentions legislation such as Energy Emergency Leadership Act, members such as Brett Guthrie.
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June 29, 2026
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Download official House Record PDFReturn to issue contextMr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 7258) to amend the Department of Energy Organization Act with respect to functions assigned to Assistant Secretaries, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 7258
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Energy Emergency Leadership
Act”.
SEC. 2. FUNCTIONS ASSIGNED TO ASSISTANT SECRETARIES.
(a) In General.—Subsection (a) of section 203 of the
Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7133(a)) is
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(12) Energy emergency and energy security functions,
including—
“(A) responsibilities with respect to energy
infrastructure, security and resilience, emerging threats,
cybersecurity, supply, and emergency planning and
preparedness, coordination, response, and restoration, as
appropriate; and
“(B) upon request of a State, local, or Tribal government
or energy sector entity, and in coordination with other
Federal agencies as appropriate, provision of technical
assistance and support to protect against, detect, and
respond to energy security threats, risks, and incidents.”.
(b) Coordination.—The Secretary of Energy shall ensure
that the functions of the Secretary described in section
203(a)(12) of the Department of Energy Organization Act (as
added by this Act) are performed in coordination with
relevant Federal agencies.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Castor) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
General Leave
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material on H.R. 7258.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Kentucky?
There was no objection.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 7258, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, sponsored by my colleague Ms. Lee of Florida.
unanimous, bipartisan vote because it will strengthen the Department of Energy's important energy emergency mission.
cybersecurity functions at DOE are organized under the leadership of an Assistant Secretary, which is important to maintaining a high level of leadership in DOE's emergency response and cybersecurity functions.
the focused and accountable leadership to more fully protect the public from all the hazards to the energy system, natural or man-made, including emerging threats from our foreign adversaries to the Nation's electric grid.
A vote for H.R. 7258 is a vote for ensuring strong leadership during energy emergencies for the benefit of public safety and welfare and for stronger cybersecurity protections in our electricity systems.
{time} 1620
Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
numerous threats, whether it is from skyrocketing demand, climate change, or cyberattacks, and it is undeniable that our systems need support to continue delivering reliable and affordable power for Americans.
H.R. 7258, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act, sponsored by Representative Lee of Florida and Representative Landsman, is an important bill. It amends the Department of Energy Organization Act.
responsibilities to the level of Assistant Secretary at DOE. It effectively ensures that the Director of DOE's Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, or CESER, goes through Senate confirmation.
challenges, it is critical that ensuring the security of the grid is managed by top officials. DOE already plays an important role in ensuring rapid response to an energy emergency. The subject matter and sector expertise concentrated at DOE is vital for ensuring that threats to the grid are handled quickly and appropriately.
H.R. 7258 clarifies in statute the emergency response responsibilities that are assigned to an Assistant Secretary. This ensures that there will be a consistent and effective leader and coordinator at DOE.
leadership of DOE offices, the reality is the Department's ability to respond to threats depends on its capable career staff. The Trump administration has devastated the Department of Energy's professional staff across the board, and I don't want that to be lost in this discussion about how to enhance its response capabilities.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lee), my good friend and the author of this legislation.
Ms. LEE of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7258, the Energy Emergency Leadership Act. I thank Chairman Guthrie and Ranking Member Castor for their leadership in moving this bill through committee, and also my colleague Representative Landsman for co-leading this bill with me.
because both Republicans and Democrats on the Committee recognized how critical it is to have accountable leadership protecting our electric grid.
by artificial intelligence, data centers, renewed domestic manufacturing, and widespread electrification across our economy. Meeting that demand safely requires not only robust and reliable generation but also a secure and resilient grid to deliver it.
serious. State-sponsored actors like Volt Typhoon are actively targeting American critical infrastructure. Physical attacks on grid infrastructure are also on the rise. For those of us from Florida, energy emergencies are not theoretical. They are a constant reality. After major hurricanes, a large number of Floridians lose power, and rapid Federal coordination becomes a serious matter of public safety.
H.R. 7258 addresses this directly. It ensures that the Department of Energy's emergency and cybersecurity responsibilities are led by a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary, a clear, accountable leader whose role is codified in statute, not left to chance.
response and our agencies keep pace with the reality of today's threats. This bill ensures that when an energy emergency strikes, a designated Federal official can cut through bureaucratic barriers, coordinate a clear response, and help keep the lights on for American families.
Castor, and all of my colleagues in working together on this bill. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 7258.
Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I thank the gentlewoman from Florida for working together. I really appreciate working together with both my friends from Florida, both from the Tampa area.
I encourage my colleagues to vote “yes” on H.R. 7258, and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Guthrie) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 7258.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.