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ClearPath Action Rundown 
December 19th, 2025

Happy Friday! We will be back at the top of your inbox on Friday, January 9th.

1. From Jeremy’s desk…

2025 was a big year of exciting change. At ClearPath, we added incredible team members. Globally, rising energy demand created tremendous opportunities for technology developers and energy producers, catalyzing breakthrough innovations for reduced emissions and ensuring America remains a global leader in clean energy. 

Following more than a decade of momentum in clean energy innovation, ClearPath is proud to continue to collaborate with private sector innovators, Members of Congress, the Administration, state leaders and philanthropic partners to turn forward-looking concepts into practical policy and tangible projects. These partnerships have delivered meaningful policy successes – and most importantly, substantial emissions reductions. 

Looking ahead to 2026, ClearPath will remain focused on rigorous technology analysis, policy development and strategic thinking to speed American innovation through market-based, bipartisan solutions that deliver results.

On behalf of the whole ClearPath team, we hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Jeremy Harrell

Chief Executive Officer

ClearPath and ClearPath Action

2. … and a message from Jay

America has led the world in energy innovation. But if we don’t get our policies right, the next generation of energy solutions won’t be made in America — they’ll be built in China and Russia — countries that don’t share our values. Where standards are weaker…emissions are higher…and our national security is put at risk. 

When we lead the world, we keep good jobs here, make energy more reliable and affordable for every American family and lower global emissions while we’re at it. This is our moment to build an energy future that’s stronger and proudly made in America. We have a clear path to keep America in the lead. Let’s get it done… together.

3. A big year for energy innovation

2025 was a year for major change across the U.S. energy sector. As the U.S. faces a surge in power demand—driven by AI and data centers, modernizing permitting became more important than ever, and this Congress stepped up to the plate to make it happen, recognizing the importance of U.S. energy dominance. Here are some of the biggest hits:

SPEED Act Will Let America Build

• The House advanced legislation to modernize permitting and accelerate project deployment. 
• The SPEED Act will streamline the scope of NEPA and reduce frivolous litigation, which will decrease timelines and create greater certainty for project developers. 
• There is $1.1-1.5 trillion of infrastructure capital expenditure currently stuck in federal permitting. 

Domestic and International Nuclear Momentum

• Congress passed the International Nuclear Energy Act (INEA) in the NDAA, establishing a coordinated national strategy to export American civil nuclear technologies and compete in the global market. 
• The World Bank lifted its ban on nuclear power projects to support reactor life extensions and small modular reactors (SMRs).
• The Trump Administration issued four executive orders aimed at enhancing American nuclear generation, promoting the deployment of advanced nuclear technologies, bolstering the nuclear industrial base and supply chains, expediting the licensing process and expanding exports. 

Supercharging U.S. International Energy Financing

• Congress reauthorized the International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) in the NDAA with an increased lending capacity of $205 billion, a $5 billion revolving fund for direct equity investments and expanded country eligibility, including exemptions for energy and critical minerals projects. 
• This is a strong step towards countering Chinese energy finance, as highlighted by ClearPath’s report, “Energy Financing Power: America vs. China - A Case Study in Brazil.” 

Clean Energy and Conservation Wins of the One Big Beautiful Bill:

• Preserves key energy tax incentives like 45Y and 48E for clean, reliable technologies like advanced nuclear, geothermal, hydropower and storage, while maintaining 45Q for carbon capture and 45X to support domestic manufacturing and supply chains;
• Supports the Office of Energy Dominance Financing to de-risk essential, large-scale energy and critical minerals projects at commercial scale; and  
• Invests in the Foundation for Food and Agriculture (FFAR) and key USDA conservation programs to strengthen rural prosperity and national security.

IMPACT Act 

• In March, the House passed the bipartisan IMPACT Act, authorizing DOE research into innovations for cement, concrete and asphalt to boost domestic supply chain security for infrastructure and manufacturing. With the AI data center buildout requiring one million tons of new cement by 2028 and the U.S. now relying on imported cement for nearly 25% of total consumption, support for innovation is necessary to expand domestic supply.
• The House also introduced bipartisan legislation, IMPACT Act 2.0, to help state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) modernize regulations and provide them flexibility to use innovative materials. The Senate introduced the bipartisan Concrete and Asphalt Impact Act (CAIA), companion legislation for IMPACT Act and IMPACT Act 2.0 combined.

4. Educational highlights from the 119th

ClearPath brought a delegation of 10 Congressional staff to Reykjavik, Iceland, as part of its Clean Energy Innovation Academy (CEIA). Iceland, which uses 30 percent geothermal energy for its grid, has innovative drilling, carbon management and power generation techniques.

Congressional staff toured geothermal, direct air capture, agricultural and hydropower energy facilities.

ClearPath is empowering the next generation of energy leaders through the ClearPath Conservative Leadership Program (CCLP). The CCLP identifies future energy leaders, fosters their professional development and places them into key conservative Congressional offices and committees. Reach out if your office is interested in expanding your team.

Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) and ClearPath advisor Kristen Soltis Anderson discussed the importance of finding “win-win” policy solutions at CCLP’s second annual professional development event.

ClearPath partnered with the American Petroleum Institute (API), Foreign Policy and Deploy/US at three separate events during New York Climate Week. Covering a wide array of topics, including the advanced, next-generation energy technologies that are driving U.S. energy leadership, financing opportunities for American energy expansion and how Republicans can deepen our impact by building talent pipelines.

L: CEO Jeremy Harrell joined Roger Martella of GE Vernova and Jeff Wilson of EXIM on a panel moderated by Maggie Lake and hosted by Foreign Policy.

Center: Head of Policy Lisa Epifani & FPISC Executive Director Emily Domenech.

R: ClearPath and Deploy/US event

5. Up next: Our priorities for 2026

ClearPath Action looks forward to collaborating with you on advancing policies that accelerate American energy dominance, including …

• Modernizing Permitting & the Grid: As the permitting debate shifts to the Senate, Congress has the opportunity to enact measures to modernize NEPA, increase permit certainty and regulatory predictability, better leverage technology and build more energy infrastructure. A better permitting system also needs a robust electric grid that can support AI leadership, revitalize American manufacturing and keep energy prices affordable.
• Establishing Global Energy Leadership: The Export-Import Bank of the United States’ (EXIM) upcoming reauthorization provides an opportunity to empower EXIM to increase American manufacturing, bolster energy security and allow America to better compete with Chinese energy financing.
  • Concepts like Energy Security Compacts offer another potential pathway for encouraging more strategic, long-term investments in energy infrastructure internationally.
• Unleashing the Department of Energy: In this era of American energy dominance, DOE is uniquely positioned to deploy new American nuclear, invest in next-generation geothermal initiatives, expand global markets for American manufacturers, support fusion innovators in the race with China and leverage new and improved funding tools like the Office of Energy Dominance Financing to accelerate U.S. energy leadership.
• Passing Surface Transportation Reauthorization: Bipartisan bills like the Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act (CAIA) in the Senate and IMPACT 2.0 in the House will help state DOTs modernize regulations, accelerating new materials and providing them with flexibility to use and scale-up innovative, locally produced cement, concrete and asphalt that improve highway infrastructure performance. 
• Passing the Energy Act of 2026: Many of the important energy innovation programs authorized in the Energy Act of 2020 are expiring. We look forward to working with Congress to reauthorize these critical provisions and bolster American leadership in nuclear energy, carbon capture, geothermal, long-duration storage, advanced manufacturing and other key technologies.

6. ICYMI

• NEW Report: A Clear Path for Geothermal Permitting: Cutting Delays, Driving Deployment.

• The House passed Rep. Latta’s (R-OH) bill to secure America's electric grid supply chains.

ClearPath believes America must lead the world in innovation over regulation…markets over mandates…providing affordable, reliable, clean energy. 

That's all from us. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!

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