Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act of 2025

Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Ezell for yielding me time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the bipartisan Tennessee Valley Authority Transparency Act.

TVA is a congressionally chartered American public power company that provides electricity to over 10 million people in Tennessee and six surrounding States.

Despite TVA's significant role in our daily lives, it holds most of its meetings behind closed doors. I believe Americans are sick and tired of these dadgum backroom dealings, Mr. Speaker.

The TVA Transparency Act requires all board meetings to be held in public and for TVA to provide at least 7 days' notice so that people know when and where the meetings occur.

This bill provides greater accountability to the American people while retaining reasonable FOIA--for those who don't understand what ``FOIA'' is, that is the Freedom of Information Act--and Sunset Act protections.

I have always advocated for more transparency at TVA, first in the State legislature, then as a mayor, and now as a Congressman.

I thank my good friend, Representative Cohen, who I don't see in here today, for his continued support. Steve and I were in the Tennessee General Assembly together. We raised the speed limit in Tennessee. We brought Isaac Hayes to the floor of the Tennessee State Senate. The gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Cohen) is the first person who ever fed me lobster, oddly enough. He has been a great friend, and he also called my momma when my daddy died. I am very close to Steve. Even though our political allegiances are about as far apart as they can get, he is still my good friend.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this bipartisan bill and restore public trust in TVA.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1373) to require certain meetings of the Tennessee Valley Authority to be transparent and open to the public, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record on H.R. 1373, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressmen Burchett and Cohen for their continued work in the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to make the

Tennessee Valley Authority transparent for its customers. This bill is the latest in those efforts.

Specifically, this bill puts into law practices that make more meetings open to the public and ensures that minutes from those meetings are publicly available after the fact.

The bill also contains limited exceptions for meetings involving sensitive information in order to protect TVA's competitiveness and ability to carry out its mission for its customers.

Mr. Speaker, I support this legislation, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett).

Mr. Speaker, I yield the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1373, the TVA Transparency Act is a commonsense bill that makes Tennessee Valley Authority more transparent while ensuring it can serve its customers effectively.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1373, as amended, bipartisan legislation to promote additional transparency of board meetings of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

I thank Representatives Cohen and Burchett of Tennessee for their leadership on this bill and their tireless work to improve the TVA.

TVA is the Nation's largest government-owned wholesale power producer, supplying power to 10 million people across the States of Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, and Kentucky.

This legislation requires TVA's board meetings to be open to the public when possible, which will increase transparency for the communities impacted by TVA's decisions.

Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 1373, as amended, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, Congress must ensure that TVA's operations are transparent.

I support H.R. 1373, as amended, and urge my colleagues to do the same.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.