119-S-1034 Journalist Public Summary

Headline Summary

A bill to give the Southwestern Power Administration a dedicated, self-replenishing fund to run and upgrade its power and transmission operations, with leftover money returned to the U.S. Treasury each year.

What It Does

S. 1034 would create the “Southwestern Power Administration Fund” in the U.S. Treasury. Think of it as a revolving account that SWPA can fill with its own receipts (like power sales) and use to pay for day‑to‑day operations, grid maintenance, and construction of lines and substations. Existing SWPA accounts would be rolled into this fund, the money would stay available until it’s spent, and any yearly surplus would go back to the Treasury. The bill also lets the agency commit to certain expenses before Congress passes annual spending bills, as long as the fund later covers the costs.

Who’s For It

• Sponsors: Sen. Jerry Moran (R‑KS), Sen. Josh Hawley (R‑MO), and Sen. Roger Marshall (R‑KS).
• Supporters’ case (in plain terms): Consolidating accounts into a single fund should make it easier for SWPA to plan maintenance and construction, avoid delays tied to annual budget timing, and keep power operations financially self‑supporting.

Who’s Against It

• No formal opposition is noted in the official actions provided so far.
• Potential concerns sometimes raised with similar funds: (1) reduced year‑to‑year congressional oversight; (2) risk that committing funds in advance could create pressure if revenues dip; and (3) questions about how fund management could affect customer rates for federal hydropower.

What’s Next

Timeline so far: introduced and referred to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on March 13, 2025; a Subcommittee on Water and Power hearing was held on March 17, 2026. Next typical steps would be a subcommittee or full‑committee markup, a committee vote, and, if approved, consideration by the full Senate before moving to the House.