House & Senate Energy Efficiency Legislation Alliance to Save Energy Comparison—108th Congress May 23, 2003

Abstract

The House and Senate Energy Bills represent a missed opportunity for
energy efficiency. While they include important provisions such as tax incen-
tives, appliance standards, and federal energy management, both bills are most
notable for the issues not included—increased fuel economy standards and a
“public benefits fund.”
On April 11th, the House passed the production-oriented “Energy
Policy Act of 2003” (H.R. 6) by a vote of 247 to 175. On May 6th, the
Senate began floor debate on its version of the “Energy Policy Act of
2003” (S. 14), which was reported out of the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources (Senate Energy) Committee on near party lines (13 to 10). The
bi-partisan tax title of the bill that was reported by the Senate Finance
Committee in April is expected to be joined with S. 14 on the floor. The
Senate and House bills include provisions for equipment efficiency stan-
dards, federal energy management, and other efficiency measures based
on provisions agreed to last year by the House-Senate Conference Com-
mittee. Despite being deeply disappointed with the 108th Congress’s
energy legislation, the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) will continue to
press for aggressive efficiency tax credits, vehicle fuel economy im-
provements, new equipment standards, strengthened federal energy
management, and other pro-efficiency provisions.