PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.

Federal Power Act Amendments Act of 2003

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

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Mar 26, 2003

Federal Power Act Amendments Act of 2003 - Amends the Federal Power Act to provide that Federal regulation of electric energy transmission and sales shall not extend to those matters which are subject to regulation by the States, including the retail sale of electric energy and any component service.

Denies the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) jurisdiction over: (1) bundled retail sales of electric energy (sales of electric energy to retail customers where generation, transmission, distribution, and other services necessary to supply electric energy to such customers are sold as a single delivered service by a single seller); and (2) the transmission component of sales of electric energy to retail customers.

Requires FERC, upon request of a Regional Transmission Organization or any FERC-authorized transmission entity, to authorize the recovery of costs on a participant-funding basis of transmission facilities that increase the transfer capability of the transmission system.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

Directs FERC to establish technical standards and procedures for the interconnection of facilities used for the transmission of electric energy in interstate commerce with facilities used for the generation of electric energy.

Instructs FERC to ensure, in setting rates for transmission services, that all jurisdictional uses of transmission facilities bear an allocation of the embedded costs of the facilities, as well as the costs of other services ancillary to the transmission of electric energy.

Directs FERC to promulgate pricing policies and standards to promote expansion and improvement of interstate transmission networks through incentive-based, performance-based, participant-funded and cost of service-based rate treatments to ensure reliability of the electric system, to support interstate wholesale markets for electric power, and to expand transmission transfer capacity needed to sustain wholesale competition.

Directs FERC to convene regional discussions with State and other retail regulatory commissions to address whether wholesale electric markets in each region (especially regions without a regional transmission organization) are working effectively to provide reliable service to electric consumers in the region at the lowest reasonable cost.

Authorizes FERC to require an unregulated transmitting utility to provide open access transmission services.

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.

Who introduced it

Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA] · D–LA

Committees

  • Energy and Natural Resources Committee
1 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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

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

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S4442-4443)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

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

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.

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.716 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
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine S.716 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
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine S.716 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
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine S.716 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