PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jul 18, 2000
Electric Reliability 2000 Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to provide for the establishment and enforcement of mandatory reliability standards to ensure the reliable operation of the bulk-power system. Grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Corporation (FERC) jurisdiction, for purposes of approving and enforcing compliance with standards in the United States, over: (1) the electric reliability organization; (2) all Affiliated Regional Reliability Entities (entities to which authority has been delegated to enforce compliance with reliability standards); (3) all system operators; and (4) all users of the bulk-power system. Provides that, prior to the establishment of the Electric Reliability Organization (Organization), any person (including the North American Electric Reliability Council and its member Regional Reliability Councils) may file a proposed reliability standard, guidance, or practice which, subject to FERC approval, shall be mandatory and enforceable.Prescribes procedural guidelines for FERC approval of: (1) applications competing for status as the Electric Reliability Council; and (2) Organization standards. Requires all users of the bulk-power system to comply with such standards.Mandates that: (1) the Organization take all appropriate steps to gain recognition in Canada and Mexico; and (2) the United States use its best efforts to enter into international agreements with the governments of Canada and Mexico to effectuate compliance with Organization standards, and to provide for the effectiveness of the Organization's mission.Requires every system operator to be a member of the Organization and of any Affiliated Regional Reliability Entity operating under an agreement applicable to the region in which the system operator operates or is responsible for the operation of a bulk-power system facility.Empowers the Organization to take disciplinary and enforcement action. Directs the Organization to assess periodically the reliability and adequacy of the inter-connected bulk-power system in North America, and to report its findings and recommendations annually to FERC and to the Secretary. Provides for the assessment and recovery of implementation and enforcement costs incurred by the Organization and each Affiliated Regional Reliability Entity, respectively.Sets forth antitrust defenses for activities undertaken by the Organization, its members, or members of an affiliated regional reliability entity.Instructs FERC to establish a regional advisory body on the petition of the Governors of at least two-thirds of the States within a region that have more than one-half of their electrical loads served within the region. Restricts such body to the 48 contiguous States.
People & committees
Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9] · D–WA
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Power.
Referred to the House Committee on Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Aug 20, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.R.4881 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.R.4881 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.R.4881 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.R.4881 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.