On the recordMarch 10, 2010
I rise today to introduce legislation that will create jobs and lower energy bills for families and small businesses in rural communities by promoting energy-saving home renovations. Our proposed Rural Energy Savings Program would assist rural electric co-operatives in offering 'on-bill' financing to their customers. This concept offers two clear and important benefits for consumers, including homeowners and owners of commercial or industrial property. First, it addresses the challenge of the up-front cost of building renovations. Energy efficiency measures almost always make business sense in the long term, because they lower the energy bill for the family or business. But often, the family or business cannot afford the upfront cost of the renovation. By offering low-cost financing, we can let families and businesses pay for the cost of the renovation on the same time frame that they are getting savings on their energy bill.
