FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 15, 2010
CONTACT: Josh Dorner, 202.675.2384
Home Star Energy Efficiency Retrofit Program
Clears Key House Committee
Washington, D.C.--The Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010, a bipartisan home energy efficiency retrofit bill, cleared the House Energy & Commerce Committee today. The bill would establish a $6 billion program to retrofit millions of homes in order to significantly increase their energy efficiency and lower consumers' energy bills. The legislation enjoys not only bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, but support from a broad coalition including environmentalists, labor unions, major retailers, and manufacturers. President Obama also strongly supports the program.
Statement of Kate Johnson, Sierra Club National Clean Energy Representative
"After sailing through subcommittee on a voice vote, the Home Star program is now one key step closer to becoming law. We believe this important bipartisan proposal should be passed by the House and Senate as soon as possible.
"Making our homes and buildings more energy efficient is the cleanest, cheapest, and fastest way to reduce emissions. By reducing the amount of energy simply going to waste, Home Star would allow hard-hit consumers to see immediate reductions in their energy bills. Home Star would also put tens of thousands of Americans back to work almost immediately. For this reason alone, passing Home Star as soon as possible should be a no-brainer. It's an easy win for both the economy and the environment.
"This bill also includes important provisions to assure homeowners that the work done on their homes is of good quality and that the program creates high-quality family-supporting jobs by encouraging contractors to hire a certified workforce. These protections are not only important for homeowners, but also make sure that taxpayers resources are being spent in a responsible manner to create a robust and sustainable industry.
"We look forward to working with our broad coalition of manufacturers, labor unions, retailers, and environmental allies to send this bill to President Obama's desk without delay."
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