[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5597 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 5597
To establish the Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage Advancement
Commission in the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 26, 2025
Mr. Moore of Utah (for himself and Mr. Costa) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and
in addition to the Committees on Science, Space, and Technology,
Agriculture, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage Advancement
Commission in the Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``BECCS Advancement Commission Act of
2025''.
SEC. 2. BIOENERGY WITH CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE ADVANCEMENT
COMMISSION.
(a) Establishment.--There is established in the Department of
Agriculture a commission to be known as the ``Bioenergy with Carbon
Capture and Storage Advancement Commission'' or the ``BECCS Advancement
Commission''.
(b) Membership.--The Commission shall be composed of the following
members:
(1) The Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural
Development.
(2) The Chief of the Forest Service, or a designee of the
Chief under the supervision of the Chief.
(3) The Director of the Bureau of Land Management, or a
designee of the Director under the supervision of the Director.
(4) The Director of the Bioenergy Technologies Office of
the Department of Energy, or a designee of the Director under
the supervision of the Director.
(5) A representative of the National Association of State
Foresters.
(6) A representative from the commercial timber industry.
(7) A representative of the National Association of State
Energy Officials.
(8) 4 representatives from the BECCS industry.
(9) At least 1, and not more than 2, representatives of
counties receiving Federal funds under the Secure Rural Schools
and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.
(c) Appointment.--Within 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall appoint--
(1) each member described in paragraphs (5) through (7) of
subsection (b), in consultation with the organization
concerned;
(2) each member described in subsection (b)(8), in
consultation with the Secretary of the Interior and the
Secretary of Energy; and
(3) each member described in subsection (b)(9), from--
(A) nominations submitted to the Secretary by the
counties described in the subsection or the States in
which the counties are located; and
(B) a different State than the other such member,
if the Secretary appoints more than 1 such member.
(d) Chair.--Subject to subsection (e), the Under Secretary of
Agriculture for Rural Development shall serve as--
(1) the chair of the Commission; and
(2) the designated officer or employee of the Federal
Government for purposes of section 1009(e) of title 5, United
States Code.
(e) Removal; Vacancies.--
(1) Removal.--The Secretary may remove a member described
in paragraphs (5) through (9) of subsection (b) only for cause.
(2) Appointment of chair if under secretary is
unavailable.--If the position of Under Secretary of Agriculture
for Rural Development is vacant, the Secretary may appoint a
member described in paragraphs (2) through (4) of subsection
(b) to serve in the roles described in subsection (d) during
the vacancy.
(3) Vacancies.--A vacancy in the Commission--
(A) shall not affect the powers of the Commission;
and
(B) shall be filled in the same manner as the
original appointment.
(f) Meetings.--
(1) Initial meeting.--Within 30 days after all members of
the Commission have been appointed, the Commission shall hold
the first meeting of the Commission.
(2) Frequency.--The Commission shall meet not less
frequently than once every 90 days.
(3) Type.--The Commission may hold meetings, and a member
of the Commission may participate in a meeting through
teleconference, video conference, or similar means.
(4) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the Commission
shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number of members may
hold hearings.
(g) Duties.--
(1) In general.--The Commission shall make policy
recommendations and metrics for the improvement of Federal
policy with respect to--
(A) the development and implementation of systems
or power plants utilizing bioenergy with carbon capture
and storage throughout the United States; and
(B) the benefits of a growing BECCS industry on
surrounding communities, forest health, and wildfire
management in the United States.
(2) Report to congress.--Within 1 year after the date of
the first meeting of the Commission, the Commission shall
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on
the following:
(A) Policy recommendations, taking into account
short-term and long-term goals, for the modernization
and expansion of the use of systems or power plants
utilizing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage in
the United States, including with respect to--
(i) the effect of deployment of the systems
or power plants on job growth in local
communities;
(ii) energy costs;
(iii) energy reliability;
(iv) strengthening the domestic energy
supply chain; and
(v) meeting the energy demands of
artificial intelligence infrastructure and data
centers.
(B) Metrics to quantitatively assess the benefits
of systems or power plants utilizing bioenergy with
carbon capture and storage with respect to--
(i) domestic forest health;
(ii) wildfire mitigation;
(iii) clean energy production; and
(iv) economic development of the forestry
sector.
(C) Identification of Federal policies to
facilitate the development of systems or power plants
utilizing bioenergy with carbon capture and storage in
the United States.
(D) Recommendations with respect to legislative and
regulatory changes to facilitate the use of biomass
from federally managed lands, consistent with wildfire
and wildlife management objectives for such lands, for
systems or power plants utilizing bioenergy with carbon
capture and storage, including--
(i) streamlined biomass offtake contracts;
and
(ii) interagency coordination between
Federal land managers and the BECCS industry.
(E) Any other recommendation or metric consistent
with paragraph (1).
(3) Interim reports to congress.--The Commission may submit
to the appropriate congressional committees, at the sole
discretion of the Commission, 1 or more interim reports
relating to any matter described in paragraph (2).
(h) Powers.--
(1) Hearings.--The Commission may hold such hearings, sit
and act at such times and places, take such testimony, and
receive such evidence as the Commission considers advisable to
carry out this Act.
(2) Information from federal agencies.--
(A) In general.--The Commission may secure directly
from a Federal department or agency such information as
the Commission considers necessary to carry out this
Act.
(B) Furnishing information.--On request of the
chair of the Commission, the head of the department or
agency shall furnish the information to the Commission.
(3) Postal services.--The Commission may use the United
States mails in the same manner and under the same conditions
as other departments and agencies of the Federal Government.
(4) Gifts.--The Commission may accept, use, or dispose of
such gifts or donations of services or property as the
Commission considers necessary to carry out this Act.
(i) Compensation; Travel Expenses.--A member of the Commission
shall--
(1) serve without compensation; and
(2) be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu
of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies
under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States
Code, while away from their homes or regular places of business
in the performance of services for the Commission.
(j) Personnel.--
(1) In general.--To assist the Commission in carrying out
this Act, the chair of the Commission may, without regard to
the civil service laws (including regulations), appoint and
terminate--
(A) an executive director, subject to the approval
of the Commission; and
(B) such other additional personnel as may be
determined necessary by the chair of the Commission.
(2) Compensation.--The chair of the Commission may fix the
compensation of the personnel appointed under this subsection
without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53
of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of
positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate
of pay for the personnel may not exceed the rate payable for
level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such
title.
(3) Detail of government employees.--On the request of the
chair of the Commission, the head of any Federal department or
agency may detail, on a nonreimbursable basis, any of the
personnel of that department or agency to the Commission to
assist the Commission in carrying out this Act, and such detail
shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status
or privilege.
(4) Procurement of temporary and intermittent services.--
The chair of the Commission may procure temporary or
intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United
States Code, at rates for individuals that do not exceed the
daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for
level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of such
title.
(k) Termination.--The Commission shall terminate on the date that
is 180 days after the Commission submits the report pursuant to
subsection (g)(2).
(l) Regulations.--The Secretary, in consultation with the Secretary
of the Interior and the Secretary of Energy, may prescribe regulations
to carry out this Act.
(m) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Appropriate congressional committees.--The term
``appropriate congressional committees'' means--
(A) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of
Representatives;
(B) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House
of Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives;
(D) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
Forestry of the Senate; and
(E) the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
of the Senate.
(2) BECCS industry.--The term ``BECCS industry'' shall have
the meaning given the term under a rule or regulation
prescribed under subsection (l).
(3) Commission.--The term ``Commission'' means the
Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage Advancement
Commission established under subsection (a).
(4) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Agriculture.
<all>