Foster, Obernolte Bipartisan Department of Energy Accountability Bill Passes House

Washington, DC – Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation introduced by Chairman Bill Foster (D-IL) and Ranking Member Jay Obernolte (R-CA) of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight. The bipartisan Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022 would bolster the Department of Energy's accountability to Congress and the public when awarding funding grants.

While most Department of Energy projects require cost-sharing by their grant recipients, these requirements can be reduced or even eliminated in certain instances. This legislation would increase accountability by requiring the department to make public and submit to Congress quarterly reports on the use of its authority to modify or bypass the statutory cost-sharing requirement.

"For Congress to fulfill our oversight responsibilities, we must be able to access information on how our departments and agencies are operating," said Foster. "Cost-sharing requirements help protect the use of federal funds at the Department of Energy. As the department continues their next-generation research and development, it's critical Congress understands how cost-sharing is implemented in support of their projects."

Full text of the Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2022 can be found here.

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