Alliance Vice-Chair Rep. Kinzinger Pushes for Energy Efficiency
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Alliance Vice-Chair Rep. Kinzinger Pushes for Energy Efficiency
On June 10th, 2014, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved a bipartisan energy efficiency bill meant to analyze how federal agencies use energy and water. H.R. 4801 can be added to the list of other energy efficiency bills that the House of Representatives has put forward in recent months. The House continues to champion energy efficiency as a means to reduce the federal deficit and save tax payers money.
Authored by Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Calif.) and Alliance Honorary Vice-Chair Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), the bill would require federal agencies to identify opportunities to use water and energy more efficiently.
Specifically, the bill would require the Department of Energy, in coordination with other federal agencies, to identify and report on the impact of thermal insulation on energy and water systems within federal buildings. The purpose of the report is to determine the substantial return on investment and savings potential these thermal insulations systems have for the federal government.
According to Rep. Kinzinger, a massive amount of energy is wasted during the process of heating and cooling water in federal buildings, “but [this energy] could be saved through the increased use of thermal insulation. With the federal government being the single largest consumer of energy in the country, doing our best to maximize the potential savings from improved insulation systems is a commonsense step I think everybody can agree on.”
The Alliance commends the work of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Reps. Kinzinger and McNerney for continuing the much needed call for improved energy efficiency. Although H.R. 4801 is a small step, it is one in the right direction, and we are hopeful energy efficiency can once again be an area of common ground between parties. The Alliance will continue to work with both sides of the aisle and both chambers of Congress to identify opportunities for advancing energy efficiency as a means for tangible savings.
Policy Assistant Jordan Nichols contributed to this post.
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