HB359, the Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2025, amends section 988 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to add a new reporting requirement for the Secretary of Energy. The bill requires the Department of Energy to submit a report within 120 days of enactment, and at least quarterly thereafter, describing the Department’s use of authority to reduce or eliminate cost-sharing requirements under specified provisions of the Energy Policy Act. The reports must be delivered to the House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over science, energy, and appropriations, and must also be made publicly available.
The measure does not change the underlying cost-share authorities themselves; instead, it creates transparency and oversight around when and how those authorities are used. In practical terms, it would increase congressional and public visibility into federal energy program financing decisions, especially where DOE waives or lowers non-federal cost-sharing obligations for projects or recipients covered by the statute.
Impact
The bill would amend federal law in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 by adding a new subsection to section 988 that imposes recurring reporting obligations on the Secretary of Energy. It affects the Department of Energy’s administration of cost-share waivers or reductions and creates a formal disclosure requirement to Congress and the public. No direct substantive changes are made to grant eligibility, funding levels, or cost-share standards, but the bill would likely increase administrative tracking and oversight of DOE’s use of this authority.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests overwhelmingly positive sentiment toward the bill in the House, where it passed under suspension of the rules by a 404-0 vote. That margin indicates broad bipartisan support and little visible opposition at the chamber level. No committee transcript is available, but the vote and the bill’s narrow transparency-focused scope suggest it was viewed as a noncontroversial oversight measure.
Contention
There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. The bill’s only apparent policy issue is whether the Department of Energy should be required to publicly report its use of authority to reduce or eliminate cost-sharing requirements, which may be seen as increasing accountability but also as adding administrative burden. Because the bill does not alter the underlying cost-share waiver authority, any disagreement would likely center on transparency and reporting frequency rather than on the energy programs themselves.