Paul Tonko: “First I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass) for offering this bipartisan amendment…”

“First I want to thank my colleague, the gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Bass) for offering this bipartisan amendment with me. He is a leader on energy issues, and I thank him for his support. Mr. Chair, the Tonko-Bass amendment is simple. It will restore three specific, results-driven energy efficiency programs within the fiscal year 2012 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill to last year's levels. It is neither a stretch nor an overreach. It is a balanced approach, and it is fully offset. First, this amendment will restore funding to the Weatherization Assistance Program, or WAP. WAP is the largest residential efficiency program in our Nation. It reduces the energy burden on low-income families and the elderly and disabled, and creates jobs, invests in local businesses, and advances technology, state-of-the-art technology. The 35 percent savings as a result of weatherizing homes under this program saves $437 in annual utility bills for the average homeowner. Second, the amendment restores funding to the State Energy Program or SEP. SEP is the only cost-shared program administered by the United States Department of Energy that provides resources directly to the States for allocation by the Governor for use in energy efficiency. This includes 56 State and territory energy offices.…”