PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S544-548)
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Jan 24, 2001
Electric Reliability Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to establish mandatory reliability standards for the bulk-power system.Grants the Federal Energy Regulatory Corporation (FERC) jurisdiction, over: (1) the electric reliability organization (ERO, established by this Act); (2) Affiliated Regional Reliability Entities; (3) system operators; and (4) users of the bulk-power system.Mandates that: (1) ERO take appropriate steps to gain recognition in Canada and Mexico; and (2) the United States use its best efforts to enter into agreements with Canada and Mexico to effectuate compliance with ERO standards.Grants the ERO disciplinary and enforcement powers. Permits recovery of implementation and enforcement costs incurred by the ERO and each Affiliated Regional Reliability Entity, respectively.Instructs FERC to establish a regional advisory body upon the petition of certain State Governors.Limits ERO authority exclusively to bulk-power system reliability standards.Denies the ERO and FERC any authority to set and enforce compliance with adequacy or safety standards governing either electric facilities or services.Declares that nothing in this Act preempts State action that is not inconsistent with ERO standards.
People & committees
Sen. Smith, Gordon H. [R-OR] · R–OR
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. (text of measure as introduced: CR S544-548)
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S543-544)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. 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 S.172 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 S.172 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 S.172 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 S.172 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.