Senior Member of Energy and Commerce Committee Protests Senate Cuts

Washington, D.C.--Congressman Eliot Engel disappointed with cuts in the clean energy programs made by the Senate in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1), has written House leadership, seeking the House provisions to be kept in the final version of the legislation.

"In this economic crisis,” Engel said, “with our urgent need to free ourselves from foreign oil, we must be willing to take the necessary action. In this case, both crises are hand-in-hand – by addressing our energy needs, we will also be addressing the financial needs of our nation. This is an opportunity to boost our economy and strengthen our national security and energy infrastructure all at once.”

The following cuts were reported by CongressNow:
Reduction of $3.5 billion for upgrading the energy efficiency of federal buildings;
Reduction of $1.25 billion for upgrading the energy efficiency of public housing;
Removal of $1 billion from loan guarantees for wind and solar projects, including transmission upgrades;
Reduction of $300 million to upgrade the federal fleet with alternative fuel vehicles and plug-in electric drive motor vehicles.

Rep. Engel added, “As the President eloquently said during his press conference on Monday, making federal buildings and public housing energy efficient is at the heart of the need for a Recovery Package. First, retrofitting and weatherizing these buildings and homes will create immediate jobs. Second, it will make these buildings and homes more cost effective and thus save both the government and its citizens’ money. Third, it will reduce our dependence on foreign oil. How can this not be a winning plan for our nation?”

In letters to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, Rep. Engel requested the economic recovery package include renewable energy and energy efficiency provisions to protect our national security interests, and to revive our economy by creating green jobs that cannot be outsourced. He asked the Conference Committee to focus on the following items:
$600 million to upgrade the federal fleet with alternative fuel vehicles;

* $1 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and $6.2 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP);
* $2.5 billion for public-assisted housing stability and energy efficiency;
* $12 billion for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and $4 billion for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and to include provisions for states to use the funds within the next two years;
* $3.4 billion for State Energy Programs (SEP) and the House timeline for use of the funds;
* $6.9 billion for state and local Government Energy Grants;
* $7.7 billion for energy efficiency upgrades to federal buildings.

Rep. Engel said, “Cuts to energy programs will harm our ability to create jobs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and lower heating and cooling costs in government buildings and for hard-working Americans.”

Rep. Engel added, “To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we must increase our investments in renewable energy production; we must improve the efficiency of our buildings and homes; and we must upgrade our vehicles with alternative fuel vehicles and plug-in electric drive motor vehicles. I will work with my colleagues to undo these dangerous cuts because a clean, green recovery package is our nation’s best path to restoring our economy, and our best chance of creating jobs that cannot be outsourced.”


February 10, 2009

Dear Speaker Pelosi:

I write to seek your support for inclusion in the final version of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the strong House provisions relating to renewable energy and energy efficiency. These measures will protect our national security interests, and help to revive our economy by creating green jobs that cannot be outsourced. I am concerned the Senate legislation takes a significant step back. As you negotiate differences between the bills, I ask that you prioritize the following House provisions:

Federal Fleet

I encourage maintenance of the House funding level of $600 million to upgrade the federal fleet with alternative fuel vehicles, including plug-in electric drive motor vehicles. The final Senate bill reduces funding to $300 million.

Home Energy Assistance and Weatherization Assistance Programs

I encourage the adoption of the House provisions that provide $1 billion for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and $6.2 billion for the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The Senate bill provides no funding for LIHEAP, and reduces WAP funding to $2.9 billion.

Public-Assisted Housing Stability and Energy Efficiency

I encourage at minimum the House funding level of $2.5 billion for public-assisted housing stability and energy efficiency. The original Senate mark increased the funding to $3.5 billion, but the final Senate bill reduced funding to $2.25 billion.

Clean Water and Drinking Water State Revolving Loan Funds

I support increasing funding for the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) to $12 billion, and for the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) to $4 billion. But at the very least, I encourage maintenance of the House funding levels for these programs, which is $6 billion for the CWSRF and $2 billion for the DWSRF.

I also encourage adoption of the House timing provisions for these programs, which gives states one year from the receipt of funds to enter into binding obligations for fifty percent of the funds, and two years to enter into agreements on the remaining fifty percent.

State Energy Program

I encourage adoption of the House funding level of $3.4 billion for State Energy Programs (SEP) and the House timeline for use of the funds. The Senate bill reduces funding for SEP to $500 million.

State and Local Government Energy Grants

I encourage adoption of the House funding level of $6.9 billion for state and local Government Energy Grants. The Senate bill reduces funding to $4.7 billion.

Federal Buildings Fund

I encourage at minimum the House funding level of $7.7 billion for energy efficiency upgrades to federal buildings. The original Senate mark increased the funding to $9.048 billion, but the final Senate bill reduced funding to $5.548 billion.

Thank you for considering these proposals. I look forward to continuing our work toward a recovery package that protects our national security, and helps to restore our economy by creating green jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Sincerely,

Eliot L. Engel
MEMBER OF CONGRESS