Kratovil Backs Bill to Create Jobs, Save Energy And Lower Families' Energy Bills

Press Release

Kratovil Backs Bill to Create Jobs, Save Energy And Lower Families' Energy Bills

Today Rep. Frank Kratovil backed the bipartisan Home Star Energy Retrofit Act (HR 5019) to provide immediate incentives for consumers who renovate their homes to become more energy-efficient, rapidly creating jobs here at home, while saving money for American families.

"This bill will create good jobs for contracting, construction, manufacturing and the heating and cooling industries, while drumming up business for retailers that will now be able to hire more workers," said Rep. Frank Kratovil. "While these jobs are being created in the short term we are boosting energy efficient technology that will save families money on their energy bills over time while reducing our reliance on foreign oil."

Through up-front rebates of up to $3,000 for insulation, duct sealing, windows and doors, air sealing and water heaters and incentives for complete home energy-saving renovations, Home Star will create an estimated 168,000 American jobs in construction, manufacturing and retail-- industries that have been lost during this recession. The program is expected to save about 3 million American families an estimated $200-500 per year on their energy bills, totaling $9 billion over the next 10 years while reducing our dangerous dependence on foreign oil -- cutting the use of natural gas and home heating oil in an amount equivalent to nearly 7 million barrels of heating oil in 2011.

H.R. 5019 has the endorsement of a broad range of business, labor, environmental, and consumer groups including the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Home Star Coalition, which includes more than 1,000 business and other organizations.

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