Overview

Title

To establish the Southwestern Power Administration Fund, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

H.R. 2432 is like a piggy bank set up by the government to collect and use money for fixing and running electric power lines in a particular area, and any leftover money goes back to the main piggy bank every year.

Summary AI

H.R. 2432 is a proposed piece of legislation that aims to create the Southwestern Power Administration Fund in the Treasury of the United States. This fund will collect various revenues and funds previously under different accounts associated with the Southwestern Power Administration. The fund's resources can be used for activities related to the maintenance and operation of power transmission facilities and administrative expenses under specific energy laws. Any surplus funds in the account will be returned to the U.S. Treasury annually.

Published

2025-03-27
Congress: 119
Session: 1
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Introduced in House
Date: 2025-03-27
Package ID: BILLS-119hr2432ih

Keywords AI

southwestern power administration fund h.r. 2432 united states treasury authorized purposes financial accountability power transmission facilities energy laws unexpended balances fiscal responsibility government corporations

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
3
Words:
1,053
Pages:
6
Sentences:
17

Language

Nouns: 342
Verbs: 47
Adjectives: 44
Adverbs: 4
Numbers: 51
Entities: 100

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.40
Average Sentence Length:
61.94
Token Entropy:
4.64
Readability (ARI):
33.64

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, known as the "Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act," seeks to create a dedicated fund within the U.S. Treasury. This fund is meant to oversee financial activities related to the Southwestern Power Administration (SWPA). The primary goals of the fund include managing receipts and appropriations, maintaining power facilities, and constructing new infrastructure related to power transmission. The bill provides the mechanisms for transferring existing unspent balances into this new fund and outlines the permissible uses for the resources it holds.

Summary of Significant Issues

A number of issues surface concerning the implementation and potential implications of this bill:

  1. Accountability and Oversight: The bill grants the Secretary of Energy the ability to incur financial obligations in advance of appropriations. This raises potential concerns about accountability and fiscal responsibility as it might lead to financial commitments without prior budget approval.

  2. Clarity in Transfer Provisions: The language regarding the transfer of "unexpended balances" is ambiguous, lacking specificity about how these balances should be calculated and re-evaluated. This lack of clarity could result in financial discrepancies.

  3. Impact of Conforming Amendments: The bill's amendments could alter existing financial plans or obligations, but lacks transparency about how these changes might impact current operations.

  4. Duplication of Administrative Expenses: There is concern about potential overlap in administrative expenses, necessitating more detailed financial breakdowns to prevent inefficiencies.

Impact on the Public

If enacted, this legislation could broadly stabilize and potentially enhance the infrastructure focused on managing electric power and resources for the SWPA. The establishment of a dedicated fund signifies a move toward sustained financial management for the agency, which may translate to improved reliability of power distribution for consumers in the serviced regions.

However, the advanced obligating authority given to the Secretary of Energy, as discussed, might lead to irresponsible financial decisions that could affect governmental financial health and, indirectly, the public.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

  • Southwestern Power Administration: The SWPA would gain potentially simplified funding pathways for various operations, allowing for more efficient handling of maintenance and construction projects. However, it would also have to ensure stringent internal checks to prevent potential misuse given the issues related to oversight.

  • Department of Energy: Both the Secretary and the department could experience enhanced capabilities to finance necessary projects quickly. The challenge will be to balance this with maintaining transparent financial practices to avoid scrutiny over potential misuse of funds.

  • Federal Government: The bill's mechanisms for transferring excess funds to the Treasury could provide a minor boost to federal revenues. Still, the potential for financial mismanagement could require increased administrative oversight, potentially increasing governmental operational costs.

  • General Public and Ratepayers: Individuals and businesses that rely on power managed by the SWPA could benefit from enhanced infrastructure and potentially more reliable service. Nevertheless, any fiscal missteps or inefficiencies could lead to higher costs or service disruptions in the long term.

In conclusion, while the Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act aims to streamline financial operations and enhance service reliability, careful attention must be paid to the outlined issues to ensure efficiency, transparency, and accountability in its implementation.

Issues

  • The provision in Section 3(e) that allows the Secretary to incur obligations for authorized purposes in advance of appropriations could potentially lead to financial commitments without adequate oversight or prior budgetary approval, raising concerns about accountability and fiscal responsibility.

  • The establishment of the Southwestern Power Administration Fund in Section 3(a) may not include clear accountability mechanisms to ensure the proper usage of the funds. This lack of explicit accountability could lead to mismanagement of public resources.

  • The language in Section 3(b) regarding the transfer of 'unexpended balances' is ambiguous. It lacks specific criteria on how these balances are calculated or re-evaluated, which could lead to financial discrepancies or misuse.

  • Section 3(h) concerning 'Conforming amendments' might not be transparent enough about how these amendments will impact current operations, especially regarding previously established financial plans or obligations.

  • There is a potential duplication of administrative expenses as listed under Section 3(d)(4), which may require more detailed budget breakdowns to ensure no overlap with other existing operations. This lack of clarity could result in inefficient use of resources.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

1. Short title Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The first section of the bill states that the official name of the Act is the "Southwestern Power Administration Fund Establishment Act."

2. Definitions Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The Definitions section of this act outlines key terms used throughout the document. It specifies that the "Administrator" refers to the Administrator of the Southwestern Power Administration, the "Fund" refers to the Southwestern Power Administration Fund established by another section, and the "Secretary" refers to the Secretary of Energy.

3. Southwestern Power Administration Fund Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

The section establishes the "Southwestern Power Administration Fund" in the U.S. Treasury to handle funds related to the Southwestern Power Administration. The Fund will be used for managing and maintaining power facilities, with any excess funds transferred to the Treasury annually, and all applicable actions conducted under existing U.S. law for government corporations.