Diana Harshbarger

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act. It is bipartisan legislation I introduced with my colleague from California, Congressman Mullin.

Our energy grid is the backbone of our economy, and every hospital, factory, and family in America depends on it working reliably.

Right now, the system connecting new power generation to that grid is badly backlogged. Interconnection studies that should take months are dragging on for years, and that delay is more than just a paperwork problem. It is a drag on the grid performance and on American competitiveness at a moment when energy demand is skyrocketing like never before.

This bill takes a commonsense first step toward fixing that. It directs the Secretary of Energy, working with FERC and NERC, to conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine how technologies like high- performance computing and artificial intelligence can be used to enhance grid operations, finding efficiency in our existing capacity, speeding up these interconnection studies, and improving reliability with tools like predictive maintenance and digital twins. Understanding how these tools can help our bulk power system run on full power will be critical to ensuring affordable rates for the long term.

As part of the study, DOE will also work to understand the technical and cybersecurity barriers for widespread adoption.

Madam Speaker, we don't have a clear national picture of where this technology stands, but this bill gets us that picture with a report due to Congress within a year and substantive recommendations so policymakers have the facts on how these technologies can help reliability and performance of our grid and where the challenges lie.

My bill is both bipartisan and forward looking. Most importantly, it is about making sure America leads the world as the epicenter for affordable, reliable energy.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the American Music Tourism Act of 2025. It is bipartisan legislation that I have had the privilege of leading in the House alongside my colleague from California, Congresswoman Barragan, and our partner in the Senate, Senator Blackburn.

Whether it is Dolly Parton or Morgan Wallen, they have got a storied history colored by many country music icons. From Dollywood in Pigeon Forge to the birthplace of country music in Bristol, Tennessee, east Tennessee does play a vital role in our Nation's music tourism industry. That story is true in communities across the country, from Nashville to Los Angeles and everywhere in between.

This bill simply directs the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism to implement a plan to grow music tourism for domestic and international visitors and to report back to Congress on that progress.

It is a commonsense, bipartisan idea, and I note for my colleagues that it will not cost taxpayers one additional dollar to implement.

Madam Speaker, the House already passed this bill with overwhelming bipartisan support in April. The Senate now has done the same, and this is about as close to the finish line as legislation gets. I am proud of the work that our two Chambers have done together to get us there.

I thank again Congresswoman Barragan and Senator Blackburn for their partnership in helping carry this legislation forward.

Madam Speaker, let's finish the job. Let's send this bill to the President's desk and give America's music communities the recognition and support they have earned.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act. It is bipartisan legislation I introduced with my colleague from California, Congressman Mullin.

Our energy grid is the backbone of our economy, and every hospital, factory, and family in America depends on it working reliably.

Right now, the system connecting new power generation to that grid is badly backlogged. Interconnection studies that should take months are dragging on for years, and that delay is more than just a paperwork problem. It is a drag on the grid performance and on American competitiveness at a moment when energy demand is skyrocketing like never before.

This bill takes a commonsense first step toward fixing that. It directs the Secretary of Energy, working with FERC and NERC, to conduct a comprehensive assessment to determine how technologies like high- performance computing and artificial intelligence can be used to enhance grid operations, finding efficiency in our existing capacity, speeding up these interconnection studies, and improving reliability with tools like predictive maintenance and digital twins. Understanding how these tools can help our bulk power system run on full power will be critical to ensuring affordable rates for the long term.

As part of the study, DOE will also work to understand the technical and cybersecurity barriers for widespread adoption.

Madam Speaker, we don't have a clear national picture of where this technology stands, but this bill gets us that picture with a report due to Congress within a year and substantive recommendations so policymakers have the facts on how these technologies can help reliability and performance of our grid and where the challenges lie.

My bill is both bipartisan and forward looking. Most importantly, it is about making sure America leads the world as the epicenter for affordable, reliable energy.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill.