Harshbarger's Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act Passes U.S. House

September 15, 2026 Press Release Washington, D.C. — Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger (R-TN) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 9339, the Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act , legislation to direct the U.S. Secretary of Energy to assess how Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC) technologies can strengthen the capacity, reliability, and efficiency of America's bulk-power system. “Today's vote gets us one step closer to a grid that can actually keep pace with America's energy needs,” said Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. “Interconnection backlogs are a drag on grid performance and American competitiveness at a moment when energy demand is skyrocketing like never before. Understanding how AI and HPCs can help our bulk-power system run on full power will be critical to ensuring affordable rates for the long term. I'm grateful to Congressman Mullin for partnering with me on this bipartisan solution, and I'll keep pushing to get it to the President's desk.” CLICK HERE to learn more about the Affordable Innovation for the Grid Act . ###