As the U.S. House prepares to vote on Rep. Peter Welch's national home energy efficiency retrofit program on Thursday, Vermont workers who would benefit from the bill joined the Congressman at a Springfield factory Monday morning.

Welch highlighted the potential of the Home Star Energy Retrofit Act (H.R. 5019) to create 170,000 jobs nationally in construction, retail and manufacturing while speaking at one of two Vermont plants operated by JELD-WEN, Inc. The company's Ludlow and Springfield plants collectively employ 213 Vermonters making energy efficient doors that are approved for rebates under Home Star.

H.R. 5019 is a national energy efficiency retrofit program that would provide direct incentives to homeowners to reduce the amount of energy they use. Through in-store rebates and incentives for whole-home retrofits, Home Star would improve three million homes and save families $10 billion over ten years.

"Home Star is about creating good jobs for Vermonters and providing an economic boost to towns like Springfield all over the country. It's about helping homeowners cut their utility bills and save money. It's about moving our country toward energy independence and away from a carbon-driven energy policy that is polluting our planet," Welch said.

In addition to JELD-WEN plant manager Al DiBella, Welch was joined at the event by Rick Bibens, who owns five Ace hardware stores in Springfield, Burlington, South Burlington, Essex and Colchester. Hardware and other home performance stores throughout Vermont would receive a boost in business when Home Star's in-store rebates take effect.

"In addition to the financial and energy savings, the HOMESTAR program will allow workers in the window and door industry to not only keep their jobs, but it would also create additional jobs throughout the distribution chain," DiBella said. "These are American jobs, producing American products, sold to American consumers, which would provide a significant boost to the American economy. Specifically, HOMESTAR will boost our local economy here in Vermont by saving and increasing jobs at our Springfield plant."

Bob Flint, executive director of the Springfield Regional Development Corporation, also joined Welch for the event.

Among the many Vermont energy contractors, manufacturers and retailers that will receive a boost from Home Star are:

Allen Lumber Company, Inc. - Barre

Montpelier Construction - Barre

WiseEyes Home & Property Inspections Inc - Barre

EnergySafe Homes LLC - Barre

EnergySmart of Vermont - Barre

H. Greenberg & Son, Inc. - Bennington

Bethel Mills, Inc. - Bethel

Cushman Lumber - Bethel

Gilmore Home Center - Bomoseen

Oakes Brothers, Inc. - Bradford

Friends of the Sun, Ltd. - Brattleboro

The Draft Detectives - Brattleboro

Green Mountain Energy Savers - Brattleboro

Curtis Lumber Company - Burlington

Patullo Consulting, Inc. - Burlington

Energy Alternatives Inc - Burlington

Energy Co-Op of Vermont - Colchester

The Farmyard Store - Derby

Poulin Lumber, Inc. - Derby

Weatherization Works - Dorset

Ashton Thermal, LLC - East Fairfield

Goodro Lumber Company - East Middlebury

Sticks & Stuff - Enosburg Falls

Britton Lumber Co. - Fairlee

Fogg's True Value - Fairlee

Poulin Lumber, Inc. - Hardwick

McCuin Fuels Inc. - Highgate

Thermal House - Jamaica

Heating Alternatives - Jericho

Parker & Stearns - Johnson

Goodro Lumber Company - Killington

Vermont Master Chimney Sweeps - Londonderry

JELD-WEN - Ludlow

Friends of the Sun - Manchester Center

R.K. Miles, Inc. - Manchester Center

Hand Energy Services - Manchester Center

R.K. Miles, Inc. - Middlebury

Otter Creak Awnings - Middlebury

Sticks & Stuff - Middlesex

Montpelier Stove Works - Montpelier

Allen Lumber Company, Inc. - Montpelier

Snell Infrared - Montpelier

HearthStone Quality Home Heating Products, Inc. - Morrisville

Country Home Center - Morrisville

W.W. Building Supply - Newfane

The Stove Depot, Inc. - North Clarendon

Proctor Gas, Inc. - Proctor

Hearthlink International - Randolph

HomeWarmth Inc. - Randolph

Central Supplies - Randolph

Home Energy Savers - Randolph

Kaytec - Richford

A.W. Perkins Company - Rutland

Rutland Products - Rutland

LaValley Building Supply, Inc. - Rutland

Rotella Building Materials, Inc. - Rutland

Solsaa Building and Energy Solutions LLC. - Rutland

The Chimney Sweep Fireplace Shop, Inc. - Shelburne

Rice Lumber Company - Shelburne

Koenig Cedar Company - South Burlington

Green Mountain Zerodraft - South Burlington

Robinson Hardware - South Hero

Ferguson, Andors & Company - South Royalton

HB Plumbing & Heating - Springfield

JELD-WEN - Springfield

Sticks & Stuff - St. Albans

Pellets Now, LLC - St. Johnsbury

Allen Lumber Company, Inc. - St. Johnsbury

Parker & Stearns - Stowe

Smokestack Lightning, LLC - Vergennes

Allen Lumber Company, Inc. - Waitsfield

Building Performance Services LLC - Warren

Leader Home Center - West Brattleboro

Larrabee's Building Supply - West Danville

Home Comfort Warehouse - White River Junction

Comfort Homes LLC - White River Junction

Building Energy - White River Junction

National Chimney Supply - Williston

Curtis Lumber Company - Williston

Vermont Wholesale Building - Williston

Building Energy - Williston

Bosch - Williston

W.W. Building Supply - Wilmington

Rising Stone - Woodstock

Van de Ven Construction LLC – Woodstock