Analysis · Speech on a bill · beta

Diana Harshbarger

Republican on Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act 2026-09-15

303 words · 14 sentences · 19 clauses

Statement grade

A–

Average 89 / 100

A score under 50 is red. Choose a measurement to see where it lost points and why; choose it again to clear.

Procedure 4%Claims 70%Positioning 12%Reasoning 12%The ask 3%

This view breaks the statement into its steps and names what each one does.

Madam Speaker, Procedure · 13 wordsI rise today in support of the Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act.Procedure Claims · 13 wordsIt is bipartisan legislation I introduced with my colleague from California, Congressman Mullin.¹ Positioning · 9 wordsOur energy grid is the backbone of our economy, PositioningClaims · 38 wordsand every hospital, factory, and family in America depends on it working reliably. Right now, the system connecting new power generation to that grid is badly backlogged. Interconnection studies that should take months are dragging on for years, ²Reasoning · 10 wordsand that delay is more than just a paperwork problem. Claims · 89 wordsIt is a drag on the grid performance and on American competitiveness at a moment when energy demand is skyrocketing like never before. This bill takes a commonsense first step toward fixing that. It directs the Secretary of Energy, working with FERC and NERC, to conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine how technologies like high- performance computing and artificial intelligence can be used to enhance grid operations, finding efficiency in our existing capacity, speeding up these interconnection studies, ³and improving reliability with tools like predictive maintenance and digital twins. Reasoning · 25 wordsUnderstanding how these tools can help our bulk power system run on full power will be critical to ensuring affordable rates for the long term.Unearned certainty Claims · 19 wordsAs part of the study, DOE will also work to understand the technical and cybersecurity barriers for widespread adoption.⁴ Madam Speaker, Claims · 53 wordswe don’t have a clear national picture of where this technology stands, but this bill gets us that picture with a report due to Congress within a year and substantive recommendations so policymakers have the facts on how these technologies can help reliability and performance of our grid and where the challenges lie.⁵ Positioning · 26 wordsMy bill is both bipartisan and forward looking. Most importantly, it is about making sure America leads the world as the epicenter for affordable, reliable energy.PositioningVague promise Madam Speaker, The ask · 8 wordsI urge my colleagues to support this bill.

At a glance

Lost points for

Switch Claims on to list the checkable claims here.

What the tags mean

Signal · 83

4 of 6 deductions are Signal

Signal checks whether every part makes a point, gives a reason, or asks for action. A low score means the speaker filled time with fluff, pleasantries, or attacks.

Throat-clearing: announcing what you are about to say, or the House’s routine business.What the tags mean “I rise today in support of the Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act.”Procedure or throat-clearing: no claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Our energy grid is the backbone of our economy,”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “My bill is both bipartisan and forward looking.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.
Praise, blame or attack with no claim, reason or ask in it.What the tags mean “Most importantly, it is about making sure America leads the world as the epicenter for affordable, reliable energy.”Positioning: praise, blame or attack. No claim, reason or ask.

Relevance · 100

0 of 6 deductions are Relevance

Relevance checks whether the speaker stays on topic and answers the question asked. A low score means the speaker dodged the issue. Measured against the bill under debate.

Nothing lost points.

Respect · no score

Not checked: graded before this measurement existed. Excluded from the average.

Respect checks whether the speaker argued with people’s positions and records rather than attacking the people: insults, mockery, or bad motives assigned to them. Criticism of what someone did, however strong, is not marked.

Clarity · 84

2 of 6 deductions are Clarity

Clarity checks for plain speaking, clear ownership of actions, and honest limits on certainty. A low score means vague promises or evasive language.

Something stated as certain with nothing to back it.What the tags mean “will be critical to ensuring affordable rates for the long term”Asserts a guaranteed outcome of a study that has not yet been conducted, with no source or basis offered.
A promise with no date, no measure and no one responsible.What the tags mean “making sure America leads the world as the epicenter for affordable, reliable energy”An aspirational goal with no actor, date, measure, or success condition attached.

Claims · 5

This list shows the factual statements you can check for yourself: the words as said, and the claim restated to stand on its own.

1“bipartisan legislation I introduced with my colleague from California, Congressman Mullin”Diana Harshbarger introduced the Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act jointly with Congressman Mullin of California.search
2“Interconnection studies that should take months are dragging on for years”Interconnection studies for connecting new power generation to the U.S. grid currently take years rather than months.search
3“directs the Secretary of Energy, working with FERC and NERC, to conduct a comprehensive assessment”The Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act directs the Secretary of Energy, working with FERC and NERC, to assess how high-performance computing and artificial intelligence can enhance grid operations.search
4“DOE will also work to understand the technical and cybersecurity barriers for widespread adoption”The bill directs the Department of Energy to examine technical and cybersecurity barriers to widespread adoption of these grid technologies as part of the study.search
5“a report due to Congress within a year”The bill requires the Department of Energy to deliver its report to Congress within one year.search

Analyzed on 2026-09-17