On the Hill in January and February 2026: A Breakdown of Climate, Energy, and Environmental Hearings

Since reconvening at the start of the year, Congress has held a total of 34 climate, energy, and environment-related committee hearings, with the House of Representatives hosting 26 hearings across eight different committees and the Senate holding eight across six committees. The Natural Resources Committee held the most hearings (11) on the House side, followed by the Energy and Commerce Committee (5). The Environment and Public Works Committee took the lead on the Senate side, with three hearings. Hearings covered issues ranging from weather forecasting to permitting—with a heavy focus on the electric grid and data centers, as well as on water infrastructure and disaster management.

The intertwined topics of the electric grid and data centers—and the affordability issues associated with both—were of particular interest to Congress these past two months. One House Science, Space, and Technology Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee hearing stressed that data center development must align with both electric grid infrastructure capacity and permitting limitations. At a hearing by the House Small Business Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains, some lawmakers questioned witnesses on how data center development in rural areas would impact their energy bills and water resources. Energy bill impacts also came up in a House Natural Resources Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee hearing about electric grid permitting—one of two hearings on permitting reform. Meanwhile, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce addressed energy affordability and reliability through a discussion with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Finally, a House Energy and Commerce hearing gathered testimony from federal, state, and academic authorities on protecting critical infrastructure from cyber threats (a similar hearing was held on protecting water infrastructure from cyber threats).

With both the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) and the country’s major surface transportation bill due for reauthorization, 2026 is expected to be a big year for infrastructure. Congress held six related hearings in January and February. House and Senate committees held separate hearings to gather testimony and proposals to inform the next WRDA reauthorization, with advice primarily coming from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. These hearings also addressed challenges relating to wastewater, stormwater, and drinking water infrastructure. In comparison, Congress dedicated only one hearing to the surface transportation bill, focused on investing in surface transportation research.

Several hearings were held on disaster management. Congress held three wildfire-related hearings at the start of the year, which brought in experts from forest services, fire departments, and local governments across the western United States to speak on the need for action on wildfire prevention and repair efforts. Both the House and Senate held similar one-year-after hearings about the aftermath of the 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles County. The House Appropriations Committee also held an oversight hearing on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The hearing explored the potential impacts of a DHS shutdown, including how a lapse in funding could “irrevocably impact” regional partnerships and disrupt first-responder training (the hearing took place three days before the start of a partial government shutdown, which is ongoing as of publication). While FEMA has enough funds to continue regular operations, witnesses stated it may not be able to support communities in the event of a catastrophic disaster. To learn more about the future of FEMA, check out EESI’s Rapid Readout.

Critical minerals continue to be an issue of interest for both chambers. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a closed briefing on technological competition and security in critical mineral supply chains, while the Senate Armed Services Committee’s public hearing focused on rebuilding these supply chains. Both events featured expert testimony from officials in the Departments of State and Defense. Meanwhile, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources held hearings exploring topics related to deep sea mining, streamlining permitting for domestic mining, resource exploration, and fortifying domestic supply chains.

Marine and terrestrial conservation were also popular topics on the Hill in January and February, comprising four of the 11 total House Natural Resources Committee hearings, as were public land issues such as mining and access to recreation (three hearings).

To keep up with these hearings, get EESI’s weekly Environmental and Energy Congressional Round-Up by subscribing to our biweekly newsletter, Climate Change Solutions.