House Committee Advances Key Energy Efficiency Bills Including Workforce Training Plan
The Alliance to Save Energy News
House Committee Advances Key Energy Efficiency Bills Including Workforce Training Plan
WASHINGTON—The Alliance to Save Energy released the following statement from President Jason Hartke after the House Committee on Energy and Commerce advanced several energy efficiency bills Wednesday:
“It’s encouraging news when the Senate advances a group of energy efficiency bills one day and the House, not to be outdone, follows with its own suite the next. Using energy more efficiently creates tremendous economic benefit and is also the fastest and most cost-effective tool we have for curbing greenhouse gas emissions. We’re excited about these bills because they will use a host of tools to accelerate energy savings.”
“Rep. Bobby Rush’s (D-Ill.) bill to train the next generation workforce has rightly won particular attention because it’s a smart solution to several challenges. There are 2.3 million energy efficiency jobs today, and more coming. But we also know that most employers across the energy efficiency industries report having trouble finding workers with the skills they need, all while many Americans struggle to find good-paying jobs. This bill would focus on bridging that gap by training women, people of color, veterans, and others for energy jobs, including energy efficiency jobs.”
“Thank you to all of the bill sponsors for their leadership, including Alliance honorary advisors Reps. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), and Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.).”
The bills supported by the Alliance that were advanced by the House Energy and Commerce Committee are:
- H.R. 1315, the "Blue Collar to Green Collar Jobs Development Act of 2019" (introduced by Rep. Rush)
- H.R. 2041, the "Weatherization Enhancement and Local Energy Efficiency Investment and Accountability Act" (Rep. Tonko)
- H.R. 2044, the "Smart Building Acceleration Act" (Rep. Welch)
- H.R. 2665, the "Smart Energy and Water Efficiency Act of 2019" (Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Cal.))
About the Alliance to Save Energy
Founded in 1977, the Alliance to Save Energy is a nonprofit, bipartisan alliance of business, government, environmental and consumer leaders working to expand the economy while using less energy. Our mission is to promote energy productivity worldwide – including through energy efficiency – to achieve a stronger economy, a cleaner environment and greater energy security, affordability and reliability.
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