Bipartisan Support for Extension of Energy Efficiency Initiative

Press Release

Rep. Cory Gardner (R-CO), Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), Senator Chris Coons (D-DE), and Senator John Boozman (R-AR) applauded the decision by the Obama Administration to extend President Obama's federal buildings energy efficiency initiative.

The Administration announced yesterday that federal agencies will "work with the Energy Department's Federal Energy Management Program in early 2014 to identify a pipeline of additional project commitments to further reduce energy use through 2016."

Gardner, Welch, Coons, and Boozman -- joined by 118 House colleagues and 26 Senate colleagues -- sent a letter last month to President Obama requesting an extended residential initiative setting a goal of $1 billion a year for the next five years for the federal government to utilize performance contracts to achieve energy savings.

"Americans are tired of a Congress that has a seemingly endless inability to work together," Rep. Cory Gardner said. "A growing bipartisan group of Members of Congress have come together to achieve a simple goal: save taxpayer money, and reduce the amount of energy the federal government uses. I am glad the Obama Administration had made the decision to extend this commonsense initiative."

"Energy efficiency is a practical idea that cuts through partisan gridlock in Washington and achieves real progress for the American people by creating jobs and saving taxpayer dollars. There is broad bipartisan and bicameral support for energy efficiency investments and the Administration's announcement today reflects that support. I applaud their decision to extend this program and look forward to working with them achieve even more energy savings," Rep. Peter Welch said.

"Investments in energy efficiency upgrades promote energy independence, help our environment, and support American jobs," Senator Chris Coons said. "Outdated federal facilities spend billions in taxpayer dollars every year on energy use alone. In just two years, the federal buildings energy efficiency initiative has already yielded significant energy and cost savings for the federal government, and I am pleased the administration has chosen to extend this valuable program."

"I applaud this commonsense effort to use public-private partnerships to achieve both energy efficiency and savings for American taxpayers. While debate and disagreement are part of a healthy democracy, our bipartisan letter and today's announcement show that we can also find areas of common ground and agreement to tackle challenges our nation faces," Senator John Boozman said.

In 2011, the President kicked off a 2-year initiative to achieve $2 billion in energy savings in federal buildings. The 2011 executive order employed the use of Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs) and Utility Energy Services Contracts (UESCs) to achieve energy savings in federal buildings. Under an ESPC or UESC, an energy services company or a utility negotiates a contract with a federal agency that specifies the amount of energy savings it will achieve through retrofits and other measures. The company or utility is then paid for its performance out of the savings it achieves rather than through appropriated funds.

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