PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Congressional Research Service
Version 28 · Reported to House without amendment, Part I · Dec 8, 2016
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.)
Assuring Private Property Rights Over Vast Access to Land Act or the APPROVAL Act
(Sec. 2) This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to prohibit the Department of Energy and the Southwestern and Western Area Power Administration from using the power of eminent domain to implement modernization of electricity transmission infrastructure, unless they have received explicit permission to do so by: (1) the state governor and the head of each applicable public utility commission or public service commission of the affected state, and (2) the head of the governing body of each Indian tribe whose land would be affected.
An electricity transmission infrastructure project, to the greatest extent practicable, must be sited upon either an existing federal right-of-way or upon federal land managed by either: (1) the Bureau of Land Management, (2) the Forest Service, (3) the Bureau of Reclamation, or (4) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
People & committees
Rep. Womack, Steve [R-AR-3] · R–AR
Legislative record
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Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 669.
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
Referred sequentially to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for a period ending not later than Dec. 8, 2016 for consideration of such provisions of the bill as fall within the jurisdiction of that committee pursuant to clause 1(f) of rule X..
Reported by the Committee on 114-856, Part I.
Reported by the Committee on 114-856, Part I.
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 19 - 11.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans Discharged.
Subcommittee Hearings Held.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Water, Power and Oceans.
Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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