119-HR-1077 DC Insider Procedural Viability Check

Procedural Viability Snapshot and Score

Composite score: 4/5 — strong path with bipartisan Senate cover, friendly committees, and low scorekeeping risk; timing suggests movement via package or rider in early 2026.

Bill

H.R. 1077 — STEAM Act (Lee/Maloy) — amends EPAct §390 NEPA CEs to include geothermal.

Chamber of origin

House; referred to Natural Resources; EMR subcommittee hearing set for Dec. 16, 2025.

Senate companion

Yes — S.456 (Cortez Masto/Murkowski) in Senate ENR.

Committee chairs (path)

House NR: Westerman; House EMR: Stauber; Senate ENR: Lee.

Current majority control

GOP majorities in House and Senate; Thune is Senate Majority Leader.

Budget/CBO

No CBO score posted; negligible direct effects likely.

Key references: bill text/status and EMR hearing; Senate companion; Senate majority and leadership; House/Senate committee leadership. [5]Congress.gov — All Info — H.R. 1077 (STEAM Act) 119th Congress[2]Congress.gov — House Natural Resources EMR Subcommittee hearing (Dec. 16, 2025)…[1]Congress.gov — Text - S.456 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): STEAM Act[3]U.S. Senate — U.S. Senate Party Division, 119th Congress[4]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…[6]House Natural Resources Committee — Chairman Westerman | House Committee on Nat…[7]U.S. House of Representatives — Committees and Caucuses | Rep. Pete Stauber (EM…[8]Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee — Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommitt…

Rubric Factors — Assessment

How H.R. 1077 fares on each viability factor, with pragmatic reads on leverage and bottlenecks.

• Chamber of Origin: Medium‑High. House‑originated but with bipartisan Senate companion (Cortez Masto/Murkowski) that signals upper‑chamber interest. [1]Congress.gov — Text - S.456 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): STEAM Act
• Vehicle Type: Medium. Stand‑alone authorizing tweak to NEPA §390; best odds as part of a small permitting/energy bundle or as a rider to Interior‑Environment appropriations rather than burning floor time on a solo bill. [9]Senate Appropriations Committee — Senate Appropriations advances FY26 Interior-…[10]House Appropriations Committee (Republicans) — House Appropriations advances FY…[11]Congress.gov — S.2431 — Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriati…
• Senate Threshold: Medium. Not reconciliation‑eligible; needs 60 if stand‑alone. GOP runs the Senate and ENR, and geothermal enjoys cross‑party appeal, but UC or package strategy is still cleaner than a full cloture fight. [3]U.S. Senate — U.S. Senate Party Division, 119th Congress[8]Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee — Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommitt…
• Committee Path: High. House NR (Westerman) and EMR (Stauber) are ideologically aligned with streamlining; Senate ENR chaired by Mike Lee is similarly inclined; EMR hearing is already on calendar. [6]House Natural Resources Committee — Chairman Westerman | House Committee on Nat…[7]U.S. House of Representatives — Committees and Caucuses | Rep. Pete Stauber (EM…[8]Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee — Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommitt…[2]Congress.gov — House Natural Resources EMR Subcommittee hearing (Dec. 16, 2025)…
• Must‑Pass Potential: Medium. Interior‑Environment or an early‑2026 omnibus/minibus could carry it; NDAA window is effectively closing for this session. Policy riders will need bicameral sign‑off, but a narrow, geothermal‑only CE expansion is anodyne compared to broader permitting fights. [12]Reuters — US House backs massive defense policy bill, Senate next[13]CRS via Congress.gov — CRS: FY2026 Interior, Environment Appropriations — statu…
• Budget Scorekeeping: High. Congress.gov shows no CBO estimate posted; change is procedural and unlikely to score materially. Low PAYGO exposure. [5]Congress.gov — All Info — H.R. 1077 (STEAM Act) 119th Congress
• Calendar Math: Medium‑High. EMR hearing 12/16 sets up Q1 2026 markup. Interior CR runs to Jan. 30, 2026—creating a near‑term vehicle window; otherwise, spring packages before the election recess. [2]Congress.gov — House Natural Resources EMR Subcommittee hearing (Dec. 16, 2025)…[13]CRS via Congress.gov — CRS: FY2026 Interior, Environment Appropriations — statu…

Why the Score Is 4/5

Bipartisan Senate companion plus friendly gatekeepers in both chambers make this a good bet to move if it hitches to the right vehicle. The issue is narrow (extend EPAct §390 CEs to geothermal), low‑cost, and aligned with majority energy priorities; the modest scope lowers the risk that leadership trades it away. [1]Congress.gov — Text - S.456 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): STEAM Act[14]LII / Cornell Law School — 42 U.S.C. §15942 — NEPA review (Energy Policy Act §3…

Most Likely Path to Passage (Q1–Q2 2026)

Procedurally feasible routes, sequenced for current calendars and leverage.

1. House NR/EMR hearing (12/16/25) → subcommittee and full committee markups bundled with other geothermal/permitting bills to create a small package. [2]Congress.gov — House Natural Resources EMR Subcommittee hearing (Dec. 16, 2025)…
2. House floor under a structured rule or suspension if kept narrow and bipartisan; modest whip ask for leadership. [5]Congress.gov — All Info — H.R. 1077 (STEAM Act) 119th Congress
3. Senate: ENR business meeting to report S.456 or a merged package; hot‑line/UC if non‑controversial, otherwise roll into a broader permitting or lands package to clear 60. [8]Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee — Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommitt…
4. Alternate vehicle: negotiate as a policy rider on FY26 Interior‑Environment (if a deal materializes before/at the Jan. 30 CR deadline) or in an early‑year omnibus/minibus. [13]CRS via Congress.gov — CRS: FY2026 Interior, Environment Appropriations — statu…[9]Senate Appropriations Committee — Senate Appropriations advances FY26 Interior-…[11]Congress.gov — S.2431 — Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriati…

Power Dynamics and Leverage

Where influence sits and who can accelerate or stall the bill.

• Chairs/Leads: Westerman and Stauber in the House; Lee in Senate ENR. All three are procedurally aligned with streamlining and can keep the text tight to avoid Democratic redlines. [6]House Natural Resources Committee — Chairman Westerman | House Committee on Nat…[7]U.S. House of Representatives — Committees and Caucuses | Rep. Pete Stauber (EM…[8]Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee — Heinrich, Lee Announce Subcommitt…
• Leadership: GOP controls both chambers; Thune’s floor shop can move a small, bipartisan energy item by UC if offsets and scope stay contained. House Speaker Johnson’s team can tuck it into a Rules package or a negotiated rider. [3]U.S. Senate — U.S. Senate Party Division, 119th Congress[4]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…[15]Congress.gov — Rep. Mike Johnson — Speaker of the House (Member page)
• Bicameral Cover: The Cortez Masto–Murkowski partnership provides bipartisan optics and Senate buy‑in—useful insurance if this lands in a mixed package. [1]Congress.gov — Text - S.456 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): STEAM Act

Key Risks and Mitigations

Reference Facts

Core facts that inform the procedural read.

Sources: Congress.gov bill pages and hearing notice; Senate/House majority and leadership; committee leadership. [5]Congress.gov — All Info — H.R. 1077 (STEAM Act) 119th Congress[2]Congress.gov — House Natural Resources EMR Subcommittee hearing (Dec. 16, 2025)…[1]Congress.gov — Text - S.456 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): STEAM Act[3]U.S. Senate — U.S. Senate Party Division, 119th Congress[4]Senate Republican Leader Office — Thune Delivers First Remarks as Senate Majori…[15]Congress.gov — Rep. Mike Johnson — Speaker of the House (Member page)[6]House Natural Resources Committee — Chairman Westerman | House Committee on Nat…[7]U.S. House of Representatives — Committees and Caucuses | Rep. Pete Stauber (EM…