Bill introduced would revise pay for Bonneville Power Administration leadership

A bill introduced by Rep. Cliff Bentz in the U.S. House proposes to modernize compensation standards at the Bonneville Power Administration, aligning pay practices with industry norms, according to the U.S. Congress.

Filed as H.R.8132 on March 27, 2026, during the 119th Congress’s regular session, the measure was outlined in this summary using the text of the bill as a primary source, with clarifications made for comprehension.

The legislation seeks to update compensation for the Bonneville Power Administration’s Administrator so that it matches what chief executives are paid at consumer-owned utilities within the Western Interconnection. Starting six months after enactment, the Secretary of Energy would be responsible for setting the BPA Administrator’s and employees’ annual basic pay rates to ensure they reflect typical sector wages. The Secretary will also evaluate factors such as qualifications, duties, location, and recruitment needs while maintaining the BPA’s budget and supporting low consumer rates for power. The proposal contains a technical correction to update pertinent legal wording.

Rep. Cliff Bentz (Republican-OR-2nd District) sponsored the bill, accompanied by Rep. Mark E. Amodei (Republican-OR-2nd District) and Rep. Michael K. Simpson (Republican-OR-2nd District) as co-sponsors.

Since the start of the current session, Rep. Bentz has introduced an additional nine pieces of legislation.

Legislation in Congress may be introduced in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, with the exception of revenue bills, which must originate in the House. Once a bill is introduced, it is referred to the applicable committees for more consideration, which may include hearings, amending, and debate, before moving forward for a chamber vote. If both chambers pass the same version, it proceeds to the president for approval or veto. Congressional terms last two years, numbered sequentially, and are split into two one-year sessions. Congress.gov serves as the official repository for legislative records and the lawmaking process.

Cliff Bentz represents Oregon in the U.S. House. His legislative service includes ten years in the Oregon House of Representatives from 2008 to 2018, followed by a term in the Oregon Senate from 2018 to 2020, before election to the U.S. House beginning Jan. 3, 2021, continuing through the 117th and two subsequent Congresses.

Bentz earned a B.S. from Eastern Oregon State College in 1974 and a law degree from Lewis and Clark College in 1977. He also served on the Oregon Water Resources Commission from 1988 to 1996, including time as its chair.

Information in this article was sourced from the U.S. Congress. The referenced data is available here.