Rep. Casten. U.S. House bill proposes national energy productivity assessments and task force

The new bill authored by U.S. Rep. Sean Casten in the U.S. House aims to improve national energy productivity through comprehensive assessments and increased measurement transparency, according to the U.S. Congress.

H.R.7606 was introduced on Feb. 20, 2026 during the 2026 regular session of the 119th Congress. The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill aims to enhance energy productivity in the United States by establishing comprehensive assessments and facilitating improved measurement and transparency of energy resources. The Secretary of Energy is tasked with creating a national energy productivity baseline within 18 months of the bill’s enactment, including evaluations of current performance and barriers to improvement. The bill mandates the periodic publication of the “Energy Productivity Indicators Quarterly” report, which will align with existing labor productivity metrics. Additionally, every three years, the Secretary of Energy must produce a Comprehensive Energy Productivity and Competitiveness Assessment to analyze the impacts of enhanced energy productivity across economic sectors. An advisory group, the Energy Productivity Task Force, will also be formed to aid in this endeavor, comprising federal representatives and independent experts. The provisions outlined in the bill are set to take effect immediately upon enactment.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Sean Casten (Democrat-IL-6th District) and co-sponsored by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (Democrat-IL-5th District) and Rep. Kathy Castor (Democrat-IL-14th District).

Since the beginning of the current session, Rep. Casten has introduced another 34 bills.

Congressional bills can originate in either the U.S. House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate, except for revenue-related measures, which must begin in the House. After introduction, bills are assigned to committees for review, hearings, amendments and debate before they can advance to a vote in each chamber. If both chambers approve identical versions, the legislation is sent to the president, who may sign it into law or veto it. Congress operates in two-year terms, with each term numbered sequentially and divided into two annual sessions. The legislative process and official bill records are maintained by the U.S. Congress and published through Congress.gov.

Sean Casten is a Representative from Illinois, elected as a Democrat to the One Hundred Sixteenth and to the three succeeding Congresses, with service beginning January 3, 2019. He holds a B.A. from Middlebury College and both an M.S. and M.E.M. from Dartmouth College.