Rail and Highway Transmission Planning Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 7405 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 7405 To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on using highway rights-of-way and rail rights-of-way as locations on which to construct high-voltage transmission infrastructure, and for other purposes. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 5, 2026 Mr. Mullin introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To direct the Secretary of Energy to conduct a study on using highway rights-of-way and rail rights-of-way as locations on which to construct high-voltage transmission infrastructure, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Rail and Highway Transmission Planning Act''. SEC. 2. SENSE OF CONGRESS; PURPOSE. (a) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that transportation rights-of-way, including highway and rail rights-of-way, should be utilized in ways that serve the public interest, including accommodating new electric transmission infrastructure. (b) Purpose.--The purpose of this Act is to accelerate the development of high-voltage transmission infrastructure by identifying opportunities to co-locate such projects within existing transportation rights-of-way, with the goal of alleviating energy capacity constraints and delivering more affordable, reliable electricity for consumers. SEC. 3. STUDY ON PLACING HIGH-VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION INFRASTRUCTURE ON RAIL AND HIGHWAY RIGHTS-OF-WAYS. (a) Study.--The Secretary of Energy, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and each director of a National Laborator