A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Feb 12, 2009

Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to require a retail electric supplier to submit to the Secretary of Energy for calendar year 2012 and thereafter one or more of the following: (1) specified federal renewable energy credits; (2) certification of the renewable energy generated and electricity savings; and (3) specified alternative compliance payments.

Prescribes, for calendar years 2012 through 2039, a schedule of graduated annual percentages of a retail electric supplier's base amount that shall be generated from renewable energy resources.

Directs the Secretary to establish a program to: (1) verify and issue federal renewable energy credits to generators of renewable energy; (2) track the sale, exchange, and retirement of the credits; and (3) enforce the federal renewable energy credits program.

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Directs the Secretary to issue a generator of electric energy one federal renewable energy credit for each kilowatt hour of electric energy generated by the use of a renewable energy resource at an eligible facility.

Prescribes rules for federal renewable energy credit trading, and for borrowing and repayment of borrowed federal renewable energy credits.

Retains the authority of a state or its political subdivision to: (1) adopt or enforce any law (including regulations) respecting renewable energy; or (2) regulate the acquisition and disposition of federal renewable energy credits by retail electric suppliers.

Permits an electric utility that has sales of electric energy subject to rate regulation to recover the full cost of renewable energy obtained to comply with this Act.

Directs the Secretary to arrange with the National Academy of Sciences to evaluate and report to Congress on the program established under this Act.

Establishes in the Treasury a state renewable energy account.

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People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. Udall, Tom [D-NM] · D–NM

Committees

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

10 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Feb 12, 2009
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Feb 12, 2009
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2245-2246)
Feb 12, 2009
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in Senate · Feb 12, 2009 Formatted Text PDF Formatted XML

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

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.

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Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.433 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.

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Discuss S.433, 111th Congress: A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/433

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2009-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/s433/BILLS-111s433is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:11:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze S.433 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.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.433 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.

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Discuss S.433, 111th Congress: A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/433

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2009-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/s433/BILLS-111s433is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:11:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.433 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.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.433 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.

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Discuss S.433, 111th Congress: A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/433

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2009-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/s433/BILLS-111s433is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:11:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.433 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.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.433 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.433, 111th Congress: A bill to amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to establish a renewable electricity standard, and for other purposes.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/senate-bill/433

Text version to examine: Introduced in Senate · 2009-02-12.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/111/bills/s433/BILLS-111s433is.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2026-09-08T18:11:38Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine S.433 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.