House · HR 359 · 119th Congress
Cost-Share Accountability Act of 2025
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Summary
This bill requires the Department of Energy to report on when it cuts or removes cost-sharing rules for energy research projects. These rules normally require non-government groups to pay part of project costs. Reports must be sent to Congress within 120 days and every three months after that.
In Favor
Taxpayers deserve to know when the government waives rules that require outside groups to share project costs. Without regular reports, Congress has no clear way to track these decisions. This bill creates a simple check by making the Department of Energy share that information every three months.
Against
This bill adds a new reporting task to the Department of Energy four times a year. That takes staff time and resources away from other work. The cost is small, and the bill itself has no substantive trade-offs beyond that administrative burden.
Additional Considerations
Purpose & Problem
Is the problem real and worth federal action?
The bill requires the Department of Energy to report when it lowers or drops the non-federal share of costs for certain energy research projects. Congress wants to track how often DOE uses that authority.
Scope & Related Provisions
Does it stay focused, or carry unrelated add-ons?
The bill's provisions stay on topic, focusing only on the reporting requirement for cost-sharing changes within energy research, development, and related activities.
Who Is Affected
Who benefits, and who bears the cost?
The Department of Energy must write and publish quarterly reports. Congressional committees on science, energy, and spending receive those reports directly.
Cost & Funding
Is it affordable and responsibly funded?
The bill does not authorize or appropriate a dollar amount. It shifts a new ongoing duty onto the Department of Energy to produce and publish reports at least four times per year.
Risks & Implementation
What could go wrong in practice?
The bill requires the first report within 120 days and at least quarterly after that, so DOE must build a process to track and document each cost-sharing change on that schedule.
For the actual bill text, see congress.gov.
AI-generated · Published 6/5/2026