Sponsors
The bill preserves DPA Title III access and reduces uncertainty for fossil-fuel–related firms (supporting the industrial base), but does so at the potential cost of higher taxpayer liability, reduced ability to prioritize clean-energy projects, and greater risk of funding emissions-intensive activities.
Utilities, energy companies, and energy workers will retain access to DPA Title III financial support and face less legal uncertainty when their businesses touch fossil-fuel activities, making planning and investment more secure.
Taxpayers and the domestic industrial base will keep a President's ability to use DPA authorities without politicized exclusions of fossil-fuel firms, supporting defense-industrial stability and continuity of non-energy industrial priorities.
Taxpayers will face increased fiscal risk because expanding eligibility for Title III assistance to more fossil-fuel–related firms could raise federal spending or contingent liabilities.
Americans who would benefit from accelerated clean-energy manufacturing and resilience projects may see slower progress because the executive branch could be constrained from prioritizing those projects if fossil-fuel firms must receive equal access to limited DPA resources.
All Americans concerned about climate and air quality will face greater risk that taxpayer funds could support emissions-intensive projects because the President's discretion to withhold DPA support from fossil-fuel–related entities is limited.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Prevents the President from denying DPA Title III financial support solely because an entity is involved in fossil fuel activities, with an exception for support that is itself for energy production.
Introduced August 1, 2025 by Garland H. Barr · Last progress August 1, 2025
Limits how the President can use certain Defense Production Act (DPA) powers related to energy. The bill amends the DPA to prevent the government from refusing Title III financial support to people or companies simply because they are involved in fossil fuel exploration, production, transport, or sale, while retaining an exception for funding that is itself for energy production.