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May 04, 2010
7:31PM

Summary of Amendments Submitted to the Rules Committee for
H.R. 5019 - Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010

(summaries derived from information provided by sponsors)
Listed in Alphabetical Order
May 05, 2010 3:22 PM

Bachmann (MN)

#27

Would require the Department of Energy's Inspector General to submit a report to Congress identifying incidents of waste, fraud and abuse associated with the programs created by the bill. Would require the report to include recommendations to prevent additional waste, fraud and abuse.

Bachmann (MN)

#31

Would prohibit funds from being available until the Homeland Security Secretary certifies to Congress that all members of a certified workforce are verified under a basic pilot program in section 401 of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. No funds would be available to enter into a contract with a person, employer, or other entity that does not participate in the program.

Bachmann (MN)

#32

Would prohibit a Federal or State administrator of the Home Star program from having any financial interest in any product such administrator approves for rebates under the program.

Bachmann (MN)

#44

Would sunset the bill after December 31, 2012.

Barton (TX)

#25

Would redirect rebates issued by the Department of Energy to consumers instead of contractors.

Barton (TX)

#26

Would strike the provision that permits financing entities to use funds repaid by participants to provide assistance to additional participants.

Bean (IL)

#2

 Withdrawn Would encourage States to engage community colleges in energy retrofit initiatives by incorporating colleges' educational and worker training infrastructure into the quality assurance framework.

Bean (IL), Driehaus (OH)

#17

Would expand eligibility for a $50 rebate in the bill to cover replacement and new storm windows and doors on all homes, regardless of their age.

Bean (IL)

#18

Would require the public information campaign in section 109 to describe (1) the accreditation and certification requirements for contractors and vendors for participation in the Silver Star and Gold Star programs; and (2) the locations where accreditation and certification can be earned. It also would require that 1% of Gold Star funds be authorized for the Secretary to enhance the network of BPI training affiliates and increasing enrollment in BPI Gold Star courses.

Bean (IL)

#19

Would require the Secretary of Energy to withhold certain program funds from States that are found to have supplanted, rather than supplemented, existing or planned energy efficiency programs with Home Star program funding.

Boccieri (OH)

#5

Withdrawn Would direct the Administrator of the EPA to develop a public education campaign to ensure outreach to seniors to describe the benefits of the programs and would promote lending to senior citizens living in older homes or living on fixed incomes.

Boswell (IA), Rehberg (MT), Bishop, Tim (NY), Latham (IA)

#10

Would exempt contractors performing qualified work under the bill from EPA's Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting requirements for one year from the date of enactment of the bill.

Burgess (TX)

#24

Would strike the public information campaign (section 109) from the bill and strike the campaign's $12 million authorization.

Butterfield (NC)

#11

Revised Would require that rebate aggregators and data storage be housed wholly within the United States.

Castor (FL)

#38

Withdrawn Would allow rebates on monitoring devices and installation to include energy monitoring devices (such as Smart Meters) along with the costs of installation.

Castor (FL)

#39

Withdrawn Would enable BPI accredited and other trade professionals to offer Gold Star retrofits by requiring that all work is performed or supervised by an appropriately-certified technician.

Clyburn (SC)

#14

Would establish a Rural Energy Savings Program to provide low-interest loans to qualified consumers to implement energy efficiency measures to achieve significant energy savings. Loans would be paid back over a 10 year window on the consumers' utility bill.

Cuellar (TX)

#9

Revised Would require the Secretary of Energy to grant priority status to economically distressed communities filing applications under the bill.

Deutch (FL)

#29

Would require the Secretary to ensure that a home in a disaster area is not denied assistance under the Home Star program solely because there is no equipment or system to replace due to the disaster.

Flake, Jeff (AZ)

#12

Would prohibit any of the funds authorized in the bill from being used for a Congressional earmark.

Garrett (NJ)

#41

2nd Revised Would require a GAO study of how much money has been saved by American consumers as a result of the increased energy efficiency measures undertaken in the legislation.

Giffords (AZ)

#8

Revised Would allow the Secretary to provide up to 0.2 percent of Gold Star funding for need-based scholarships to individuals to enable them to qualify as accredited contractors.

Heinrich (NM)

#6

Would expand the public information campaign established in the bill to require the Administrator of the EPA to coordinate with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs on how to implement an outreach strategy to veterans and veteran service organizations about the retrofit rebate programs in the bill.

Herseth Sandlin (SD)

#35

Withdrawn Would require the Secretary to approve or deny alternative standards for accreditation not later than 30 days after such standards are submitted.

Herseth Sandlin (SD)

#42

Revised Would require that alternative accreditation standards approved by the Secretary of Energy include online and correspondence training.

Herseth Sandlin (SD)

#43

Would modify the definition of "accredited contractor" to allow qualified contractors who have been certified through one of the workforce programs in section 2(4) of the bill to be eligible to perform the efficiency work under the Gold Star program.

Kilroy (OH)

#13

Withdrawn Would explicitly state that insulated vinyl siding qualifies for the Gold Star Home Energy Retrofit Program.

Latta (OH)

#23

Would suspend the provisions in the bill if the bill adds to the deficit.

Markey, Betsy (CO)

#4

Withdrawn Would direct the Secretary to create two separate telephone hotline numbers: one for contractors and another one for homeowners. The hotlines would be available as a resource to ask questions about the Home Star program. Would also direct the Secretary to determine the feasibility and efficiency of establishing an online chat function for the website established for the Home Star program.

Marshall (GA)

#7

Revised Would modify the definition of "electric utility" in the bill to include entities engaged in selling electricity at wholesale, instead of including in the definition only those engaged in retail sales.

McCarthy, Carolyn (NY)

#16

Revised Would provide for a study by the Secretary of Energy, in conjunction with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to examine the effects of energy efficiency measures on noise reduction.

Melancon (LA)

#28

Would require the EPA Administrator to examine the impact of Chinese drywall on HVAC units and other home appliances and, if appropriate, include the replacement of such drywall as retrofit work eligible for a rebate under the Gold Star program.

Michaud (ME)

#1

Withdrawn Would add veteran-owned small businesses to the types of businesses that States should recruit when developing a quality assurance framework.

Nye (VA)

#36

Would add Armed Forces exchange services as qualified rebate aggregators.

Pingree (ME)

#20

Withdrawn Would require the public information campaign to include a focus on areas that contain a military installation selected for closure under BRAC.

Pingree (ME), DeLauro (CT)

#21

Withdrawn Would require the Secretary to develop a network of rebate aggregators that can facilitate the delivery of rebates to contractors and vendors. The Secretary shall approve or deny aggregator applications within 30 days. A State may write to the Secretary explaining how a rebate aggregator could best work with that State's existing residential energy efficiency and retrofit programs. Also, entities implementing Home Star would coordinate with existing state energy efficiency efforts.

Pingree (ME)

#22

Withdrawn Would allow owners of pre-1976 mobile homes to use rebates to purchase new Energy Star modular homes, in addition to new energy star manufactured homes.

Polis (CO)

#37

Withdrawn Would require the public information campaign to include information regarding financing options available to consumers and qualified financing entities under the Home Star Loan Program, such as on bill financing or Property Assessed Clean Energy Bonds.

Reichert (WA), Davis, Geoff (KY), Lee, Christopher (NY)

#40

Substitute Would substitute for the text of the bill the text of H.R. 4226, the Expanding Building Efficiency Incentives Act.

Roskam (IL)

#33

Requires that for every Federal government job that needs to be created to administer programs created by the bill at any department or agency, one Federal government job must be eliminated at the same department or agency.

Roskam (IL)

#34

Withdrawn Would provide that the bill and amendments made by the bill shall not take effect until the OMB Director determines that the budget deficit is less than $706 billion.

Schauer (MI)

#15

Would prohibit funds authorized by title I of the bill (Silver Star and Gold Star programs) from being used to purchase any goods made in China.

Teague (NM), Heinrich (NM)

#3

Would allow states that have generated more specific climate zone data to establish sub-climate designations, with the approval of DOE. Would also provide that windows with a U-factor of .37 will be considered compliant with Silver Star requirements at an altitude of over 5,000 feet.

Waxman (CA)

#30

Revised Would clarify that the rebate processing system will include information about quality assurance field inspections and Home Star loans related to any given home for which rebates were sought. Would allow a State to have confidential access to information concerning Home Star work performed in that State. Would provides for expedited appeals by contractors of determinations by quality assurance providers and dispute resolution. Would strike contracting and consultant hiring provisions in light of current law. Would clarify that Secretary is to conduct financial assistance program as well as quality assurance program in States where State declines to do so. Would allow a homeowner who has undertaken Silver Star measures for rebates to upgrade to Gold Star process, but solely for incremental improvements and with rebates capped at Gold Star maximum amount. Would promote coordination between Home Star and existing state energy efficiency programs. Would add separate categories and rebate amounts for highest-efficiency air conditioners and gas furnaces. Would provide a one-year deadline for homeowners to bring complaint related to completed Home Star project. Would strike Ways and Means jurisdictional provisions. Would clarify processes for determining and allocating State funds between State administrative functions and State financing support. Would clarify use of loan funds by striking paragraph on offering debt instruments to eligible participants. Would clarify that financing funds not loaned by States as of the sunset of program must be returned to the U.S. Treasury. Would strike unnecessary references to other federal programs in manufactured home rebate program.