Sponsors (6)
The bill restores a coal-focused advisory council and increases its transparency while removing its automatic sunset: it secures continuous industry expertise for DOE but risks entrenching pro-coal influence, reducing routine congressional review, and adding modest taxpayer costs.
Utilities and energy companies regain a DOE advisory council that provides focused industry expertise on coal policy and technology, improving DOE access to sector-specific technical input.
Taxpayers and federal employees benefit from most Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) rules being reapplied, which increases transparency and public meeting requirements for the Council.
Utilities, state governments, and DOE gain continuity of advisory input because the Council is exempted from the general termination (sunset) provision and can operate without automatic expiration.
Taxpayers and the public risk continued federal support for coal because keeping a coal-focused advisory council may reinforce policies that slow a transition to cleaner energy.
Taxpayers and Congress lose a periodic forced review mechanism because exempting the Council from automatic termination reduces opportunities for routine congressional oversight and reassessment.
Taxpayers and DOE could incur modest additional administrative costs to reestablish and operate the Council.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires DOE to reestablish the National Coal Council under its Nov 19, 2021 charter and apply most FACA rules while exempting the council from the general statutory termination provision.
Requires the Department of Energy to reestablish the National Coal Council using the council charter that was in effect on November 19, 2021. Most provisions of the Federal Advisory Committee Act and 5 U.S.C. §552b(c) will apply to the council, but the general statutory termination requirement in 5 U.S.C. §1013 will not apply, allowing the council to continue without that automatic sunset. The bill does not specify new funding; reestablishment is to occur within DOE and under the prior charter’s terms, subject to FACA procedural rules except for the termination provision.
Introduced April 24, 2025 by Michael A. Rulli · Last progress September 19, 2025