Brian Babin · TranslatePolitics.com

House of Representatives

Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act

2026-07-20

“We need more energy. Geothermal energy can help. This bill will spend money on research and development for geothermal technologies. America will lead in this industry. I like this bill. It is bipartisan. You should vote yes.”

Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time to close. Madam Speaker, the need for the United States to increase reliable baseload energy is very clear. To help meet this demand, the House has recently passed multiple bills to accelerate the development of geothermal energy. This legislation builds on those efforts and will help geothermal play an even greater role in meeting our Nation's energy needs. H.R. 8790 authorizes and directs the Department of Energy to support the research and development of next-generation geothermal technologies, helping ensure that American leadership in this emerging industry remains number one. Madam Speaker, I thank Representative Harrigan for his leadership on this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this simple bipartisan measure. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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“I want taxpayers to spend on geothermal research. I'm happy the government is funding a program I like. I thank my colleagues for this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 8790, the Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act, sponsored by my colleagues, Representatives Harrigan and Salinas. This bill amends the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to include novel geothermal approaches and directs the Department of Energy to support these baseload energy-producing technologies. Thanks to breakthroughs in drilling methods pioneered by the oil-and- gas sector, we can now drill deeper and increase rock permeability. As a result, regions of the United States that were once unable to support baseload geothermal electricity generation are now viable for power production. This comes at an important time as we race to connect baseload energy to the grid to ensure that we have both reliable power and the grid stability needed to support continued economic growth and technological advancement. The bill directs the Department of Energy to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Department of the Interior to facilitate the sharing of geothermal data and to improve understanding of the subsurface. This legislation also provides a critical update to the Department of the Interior's drilling data repository by including additional data sources, periodic updates, and standardized data to enhance its overall functionality and usability. Curating data from public lands gives the government, academia, and industry a better understanding of the subsurface and the resources beneath our feet. This bill also builds upon the success of the Department of Energy's Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy, or FORGE, by requiring next-generation geothermal testing at one or more additional FORGE sites, if deemed necessary by the Department of Energy. Research conducted at FORGE has provided clear evidence that, through innovative drilling, next-generation geothermal systems can be used to generate power. The Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act authorizes the Department of Energy to foster this emerging industry by awarding grants to accelerate the development, testing, and implementation of innovative technologies that improve the performance of next-generation geothermal energy projects. Madam Speaker, I will express my appreciation for the work of Representatives Harrigan and Salinas on this legislation, and I urge my colleagues to support the bill. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

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“I want five days for everyone to talk more about this bill. I want people to add more comments about geothermal research.”

“I want to pass this bill so the government can spend money on geothermal research. I think it will help our country be more independent and secure.”

House of Representatives

Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act

2026-07-20

“I want this bill to pass. It will help businesses. The government will make rules. The rules will keep people safe. The rules will not make it harder for businesses to do business. If we have these rules, America will stay ahead of other countries. Our government should work with companies to make rules. I thank the other side for their help. Let's pass this bill.”

“I want this bill to pass. The government should make rules for companies that make DNA. The rules will help companies and universities know what to do. The rules will help keep people safe. The rules will not make it harder for companies to do business. I want everyone to support this bill.”

Official Congressional Record

Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 3029, the Nucleic Acid Standards for Biosecurity Act, introduced by Representative Salinas of Oregon, along with Representative McCormick of Georgia. This bill is about protecting two things we all care about: American leadership in the life sciences and the security of the American people. Today, an American company or university laboratory can legally order made-to-order DNA, the basic building blocks of biology, and have it delivered in a matter of days. This technology powers new medicines and vaccines, stronger crops, and advanced manufacturing. It is a real source of American strength. However, the same technology that lets us build the biology of the future could, in the wrong hands, potentially be used to assemble the genetic material of a dangerous pathogen. Responsible providers already guard against this. They screen incoming orders against sequences of concern and verify the identities of their customers. However, as this field continues to advance rapidly, the lack of common technical standards and best practices for screening presents an emerging biosecurity risk. That is exactly the kind of work the National Institute of Standards and Technology, NIST, was built to do. NIST is our Nation's measurement and standards laboratory. It does not regulate industry. It provides industry with the tools and benchmarks and the best practices needed to get this right. H.R. 3029 directs NIST to carry out the measurement research needed to make this screening more accurate and reliable by improving screening tools, securing databases of concerning sequences, and developing ways for providers to demonstrate that their screening systems work as intended. It also directs NIST to convene a consortium of the people who actually do this work, including industry, universities, and nonprofit organizations, to develop consensus best practices and a roadmap for the future. This legislation does not create a new regulatory regime for American biotechnology. It strengthens our biosecurity while safeguarding the innovation that keeps us ahead of our competitors, and it passed the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee on a bipartisan basis. I thank Representatives Salinas and McCormick for their work on this bill, I urge my colleagues to support it, and I reserve the balance of my time.

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“I want more time for everyone to talk about this bill.”

“I don't want to talk about the actual bill. I brought up something from 10 years ago to change the subject. I hope that people will be distracted by talking about that instead.”