Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1997

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 104.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 01 · Reported to Senate with amendment(s) · Jun 27, 1997

Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1997 - Repeals the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935. Prescribes procedural guidelines for both Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and State access to records of a holding company (including subsidiaries, associates and affiliates) of a public utility or natural gas company. Precludes such State access to any person that is a holding company solely by reason of ownership of one or more qualifying facilities under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act. Instructs FERC to promulgate a final rule to exempt specified holding companies from such access requirements. Requires FERC to exempt any person or transaction from such access requirements if it finds that regulation of such person or transaction is irrelevant to the jurisdictional rates of a public utility or natural gas company. Retains the jurisdiction of FERC and State commissions to determine whether a public utility company or natural gas company may recover in rates any costs of affiliate transactions. Declares this Act inapplicable to: (1) the United States; (2) a State or its political subdivision; and (3) a foreign governmental authority not operating in the United States. Grants FERC certain Federal Power Act enforcement powers. Transfers from the Securities and Exchange Commission to FERC all books and records that relate primarily to the functions vested in FERC by this Act. Authorizes appropriations. Amends the Federal Power Act to repeal its conflict of jurisdiction guidelines.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Sen. D'Amato, Alfonse [R-NY] · R–NY

Committees

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee

23 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.

Jun 27, 1997
Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 104.
Jun 27, 1997
Committee on Banking. Reported to Senate by Senator D'Amato with amendments. With written report No. 105-41.
Jun 27, 1997
Committee on Banking. Reported to Senate by Senator D'Amato with amendments. With written report No. 105-41.
Jun 5, 1997
Committee on Banking. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
Apr 29, 1997
Committee on Banking. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 105-309.
Apr 22, 1997
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking.
Apr 22, 1997
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S3419-3420)
Apr 22, 1997
Introduced in Senate

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

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

Reported to Senate · Jun 27, 1997 Formatted Text PDF
Introduced in Senate · Apr 22, 1997 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HR 3976 · Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1998

Source last updated: Apr 7, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

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.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze S.621 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.621, 105th Congress: Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/621

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 1997-06-27.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s621/BILLS-105s621rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:24:13Z. 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.621 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.621 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.621, 105th Congress: Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/621

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 1997-06-27.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s621/BILLS-105s621rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:24:13Z. 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.621 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.621 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.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss S.621, 105th Congress: Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/621

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 1997-06-27.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s621/BILLS-105s621rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:24:13Z. 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.621 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.621 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.621, 105th Congress: Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1997

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/105th-congress/senate-bill/621

Text version to examine: Reported to Senate · 1997-06-27.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/105/bills/s621/BILLS-105s621rs.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-04-07T15:24:13Z. 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.621 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.