30 years ago President Carter declared the moral equivalent of war on foreign oil. We have done two things in those 30 years: we have slashed Federal investments in research and development for energy efficiency and renewables by 85 percent; and we have doubled our imports of oil. In the past 2 years, we have corrected our top down investments. We are investing more in energy efficiency, but we have missed the most critical three words in the debate: return on investment. We need to find ways to make it easier for people to purchase energy efficient windows, to retrofit their homes, and that is exactly what this bill does. It gives consumers rebates of up to $3,000, it lowers utility bills, and it creates jobs. It creates jobs by allowing people to go to their stores to buy their windows and equipment. That means somebody is going to need to manufacture that equipment and install that equipment. This is a way of creating jobs and enhancing our energy security. It is a way of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. This is a critically important bill from a national security perspective and an economic security perspective. I support it wholeheartedly.
Editor's note · Context
The speaker discusses the importance of a bill aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing dependence on foreign oil.
Share
More from Celia Israel
This amendment is simply an overreaction to a policy proposal in the administration's fiscal year 2017 budget request. The budget request proposed to redirect funds currently allocated to payments to States and shift them toward Federal…
I believe that our colleagues will be treated to a rare display of bipartisan harmony on this amendment. Mr. Chair, I strongly oppose the amendment. Look, this is not a perfect bill, and there are clear differences on this amendment, but…
Again, I thank the gentleman so much for his leadership. If you would allow an aging 57-year-old to attend the Future Forum meetings, I would be happy to do so. I will bring my crutch, my cane, and all of the other things that I need. On a…
All that I can say is thank you. I yield back the balance of my time. The CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel). The amendment was agreed to. Amendment No. 2 Offered by Mr. Israel The…