Environment & Energy Congressional Round-Up | May 19 - 23, 2025

Highlights:

The Senate passed the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act (S.97). Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Rick Scott (R-Fla.) reintroduced the bill to increase investment in domestic manufacturing of semiconductors, which convert energy into electricity in solar panels and wind turbines, among other applications. Reps. Greg Landsman (D-Ohio) and Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) led the bill’s House companion (H.R.2480), which passed the chamber last month. It will now move to President Trump’s desk for approval. 

The Senate also passed the Save Our Seas 2.0 Amendments Act (S.216). Sens. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) lead the bill, which would strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Marine Debris Program. The program works to accelerate federal response to marine pollution events, increase international cooperation on ocean cleanup, and drive plastic waste reduction and reuse. 

The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation advanced Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Brian Schatz’s (D-Hawaii) Illegal Red Snapper and Tuna Enforcement Act (S.283). The bill would combat illegal fishing, which contributes to fishery depletion and threatens economic and food security, by enhancing the traceability of tuna and red snapper entering the United States. 

Reps. Dave Min (D-Calif.) and Young Kim (R-Calif.) introduced the Building Resiliency and Understanding of Shrublands to Halt (BRUSH) Fires Act (H.R.3553). The bill would require the U.S. Forest Service to assess its existing wildfire mitigation strategies. EESI explores other wildfire mitigation tools on our podcast, The Climate Conversation.

To catch up on all of the recent environmental and energy legislation in Congress, read the pdf here.