Guiding Federal Legislation
MRES and its members remain active and involved in the legislative process, and we accomplish that through an aggressive legislative effort. Energy-related issues continue to remain a focus at a national level, and our staff closely monitors pending federal legislation relevant to MRES and its members. Working with our congressional delegation and other key policymakers is an integral part of our work agenda.
Advocating for Public Power: MRES Federal Legislative Priorities
As we meet with our Congressional delegation, Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) remains steadfast in advocating for policies that support the reliability, affordability and sustainability of public power. Our federal legislative papers outline key issues that directly impact our 61 member communities and the millions of customers they serve.
From protecting tax-exempt financing for critical infrastructure projects to ensuring fair and cost-effective transmission policies, our priorities reflect our commitment to securing a strong energy future. The following documents provide insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping public power today:
- Municipal Tax Issues – Ensuring continued access to tax-exempt financing and restoring advance refunding to reduce borrowing costs.
- Protecting the Federal Power Program – Defending against efforts to privatize the Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and maintaining cost-based rates.
- Transmission and Permit Reform – Streamlining regulatory processes to support grid expansion and reliability while balancing local control.
As advocates for public power, we call on policymakers to support legislation that upholds the value of public power, safeguards consumer interests and fosters long-term energy stability.
Read the full legislative papers below to learn more about our priorities and how they impact our communities.
Federal Legislative Papers
Federal Congressional Delegations
Below is information about the congressional delegations from all four member states:
Iowa
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa)
Committees:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Budget
- Finance
- Judiciary (Chair)
Legislative Contacts:
- Eli Harberts (Energy)
- Nicholas Gillert (Tax)
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa)
Committees:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Armed Services
- Small Business and Entrepreneurship (Chair)
- Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Legislative Contacts:
- David Bean (Energy)
- Aaron Gottesman (Tax)
Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-1st District)
Committees:
- Energy and Commerce
- Veterans’ Affairs
Legislative Contacts:
- Sam Dunford (Energy)
- Matt Brady (Tax)
Rep. Zach Nunn (R-3rd District)
Committees:
- Agriculture
- Financial Services
Legislative Contacts:
- Madeline Dwelle (Energy)
- Caroline Sayers (Tax)
Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-4th District)
Committees:
- Agriculture
- Ways & Means
Legislative Contacts:
- Tim Medeiros (Energy)
- Connor Rabb (Tax)
Minnesota
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota)
Committees:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry (Ranking Member)
- Joint Congressional on Inaugural Ceremonies (Chair)
- Commerce, Science and Transportation
- Joint Economic
- Judiciary
- Rules & Administration
Legislative Contacts:
- Thomas Liepold (Energy)
- Seth Barnes (Tax)
Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota)
Committees:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
- Finance
- Indian Affairs
Legislative Contacts:
- Sindu Nathan (Energy)
- Omar Taher (Tax)
Rep. Brad Finstad (R-1st District)
Committees:
- Agriculture
- Armed Services
- Small Business
Legislative contacts:
- John Altendorf (Energy)
- Tyler Dunn (Tax)
Rep. Tom Emmer (R-6th District)
Committees:
- Financial Services
Legislative Contacts:
- Luke Sandlin (Energy)
- Lizzy Fallon (Tax)
Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-7th District)
Committees:
- Rules
- Ways & Means
Legislative Contacts:
- Sean Murphy (Tax and Energy)
Rep. Pete Stauber
(R-8th District)
Committees:
- Natural Resources
- Small Business
- Transportation and Infrastructure
Legislative Contacts:
- Shawn Rusterholz (Energy)
- Sean Sullivan (Tax)
North Dakota
Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota)
Committees:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Appropriations
- Energy and Natural Resources
- Indian Affairs
Legislative Contacts:
- Eric Gustafson (Energy)
- Tyler Hardy (Tax)
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-North Dakota)
Committees:
- Armed Services
- Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
- Environment and Public Works
- Veterans’ Affairs
Legislative Contacts:
- Michael Helmer (Energy)
- Mary Silverthorn (Tax)
Rep. Julie Fedorchak
(R-North Dakota)
Committees:
- Energy and Commerce
Legislative Contacts:
- Pending
South Dakota
Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota)
Committees:
- Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
- Commerce, Science and Transportation
- Finance
Legislative Contacts:
- Ashlynne Beninga (Energy)
- Adam Wek (Tax)
Sen. Mike Rounds (R)
Committees:
- Armed Services
- Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs
- Indian Affairs
- Select Committee on Intelligence
- Appropriations
Legislative Contacts:
- Lucas Heitkamp (Energy, Ag, Public Lands)
- Kathleen Gayle (Tax)
Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-South Dakota)
Committees:
- Agriculture
- Select Committee on China
- Transportation and Infrastructure
Legislative Contacts:
- Chance Hunley (Energy)
- Elizabeth Lloyd (Tax)
Impacting Federal Regulation
MRES and its members actively monitor and participate in major federal regulatory matters, as the regulatory landscape is changing. We participate or intervene in matters that affect MRES and our member municipal electric utilities through targeted efforts in specific agency dockets. We will post more information when issues important to MRES and to our members arise.