EPW Committee Advances Legislation and Resolutions at Business Meeting
Legislation approved by the EPW Committee:
- S.5045 – Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act of 2026 by a vote of 19-0
- S.3135 – Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act of 2026 by a vote of 10-9
- S.5249 – Modernizing Outdated Regulations to Expand American Fuel Act of 2026 by a vote of 18-1
The EPW Committee also voted in favor of an en bloc package of 21 resolutions to approve prospectuses from the General Services Administration by voice vote.
Below is the opening statement of Chairman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) as delivered.
“Today, we will consider three bills and 21 GSA prospectuses.
“First, we will vote on S. 5045 – the Wildfire Emissions Prevention Act, or WEPA, sponsored by Senators Curtis, Merkley, Padilla, Boozman, Kelly, and me.
“WEPA will make it easier for states to use prescribed burns by streamlining the EPA’s process to approve “exceptional events,” which is better for our environment, state and local communities, and public health. I am proud of this committee for continuing its long history of working across the aisle—I know they’ve worked hard to reach a consensus here—and look forward to reporting out this bipartisan product.
“We will also consider S. 3135 – the Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act, sponsored by Senators Sullivan, Lummis, Curtis, and Murkowski.
“At an EPW Committee hearing in March, we heard firsthand the potential consequences when a vehicle’s emissions systems can limit or even shut down diesel engines or farm equipment. This event, known as a derate, can strand truck drivers in isolated frigid environments or drastically impact their farm harvests.
“The Cold Weather Diesel Reliability Act authorizes manufacturers to override derates in diesel vehicles and farm equipment operating in targeted and cold weather environments. I want to thank Senator Sullivan for his leadership in working to address the unique needs of Alaska and other cold weather states.
“In response to feedback after the bill’s introduction, an amendment in the nature of a substitute will be offered as the base text of the bill for committee action. I support the amendment of this bill and will vote to report it favorably out of committee.
“We will also be voting on S. 5249 – the Modernizing Outdated Regulations to Expand American Fuel Act of 2026, led by Senators Kelly and Lummis. This bill will eliminate outdated regulations that limit our ability to rapidly strengthen America’s nuclear fuel supply chain.
“Two weeks ago, the House Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed a similar bill to S. 5249. I look forward to passing this bill out of the Committee today and working with our colleagues in the House to build on our history of enacting meaningful bipartisan nuclear legislation.
“Finally, we will consider 21 prospectuses from the General Services Administration that concern leases for various Veterans Administration facilities as well as alterations to federal buildings throughout the country. These resolutions will provide the necessary approval for all of the building-specific prospectuses submitted by GSA thus far for fiscal year 2027.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Ranking Member Whitehouse to ensure that GSA prospectuses receive timely approval, while also maintaining the Committee’s important oversight responsibilities to ensure the best use of taxpayer funds.”
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