[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 280 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 280

 To provide for the development and implementation of a comprehensive 
        energy conservation plan for the United States Congress.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 21, 1998

  Mr. Gutierrez (for himself, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Evans, Ms. Furse, Mr. 
   Olver, Mr. Skaggs, Mrs. Maloney of New York, Mr. Abercrombie, Mr. 
Blumenauer, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Underwood, Mr. Waxman, and Mr. Lipinski) 
 submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to 
           the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 To provide for the development and implementation of a comprehensive 
        energy conservation plan for the United States Congress.

Whereas Congress passed the National Energy Conservation Policy Act (NECPA) in 
        1978 to provide major policy guidance to Federal agencies to improve 
        energy management in their facilities and operations;
Whereas Congress amended NECPA in 1988 through the Federal Energy Management 
        Improvement Act, and required each Federal agency to achieve a 10 
        percent reduction in energy consumption in its Federal buildings by 
        fiscal year 1995, when measured against a fiscal year 1985 baseline on a 
        Btu-per-gross-square-foot basis,
Whereas the Federal Energy Management Improvement Act directed the Department of 
        Energy to establish life cycle costing methods and coordinate Federal 
        conservation activities through the Interagency Energy Management Task 
        Force;
Whereas Congress amended NECPA in 1992 through the Energy Policy Act (EPACT), 
        which contains provisions regarding energy management requirements, life 
        cycle cost methods and procedures, budget treatment for energy 
        conservation measures, incentives for Federal facility energy managers, 
        reporting requirements, new technology demonstrations and agency surveys 
        of energy saving potential, and required a minimum 20 percent energy 
        reduction in Btu-per-gross-square-foot energy costs by fiscal year 2000 
        as compared with energy consumption in fiscal year 1985;
Whereas President Clinton issued Executive Order 12902 on March 8, 1994, which 
        expanded the scope of Federal energy management and established a 30 
        percent reduction goal in energy costs for Federal buildings and a 20 
        percent goal for industrial facilities by 2005 as compared to 1985 
        consumption levels on a Btu-per-gross-square foot basis;
Whereas Congress passed the Congressional Accountability Act in 1995 to ensure 
        that Congress and its Members comply with the laws Congress mandates for 
        our Nation;
Whereas Congress does not comply with the energy conservation standards it has 
        established for Federal agencies;
Whereas Congress expended $32,733,024 in 1997 on energy costs and has witnessed 
        greater energy expenditures each year during the past 7 years;
Whereas the Architect of the Capitol should be commended for the completion of 
        several energy conservation projects on the congressional campus during 
        the past 5 years that have saved taxpayers significant resources;
Whereas a number of the Architect of the Capitol's projects to conserve energy 
        have been delayed and frustrated because Congress has not appropriated 
        adequate resources in a timely manner for crucial projects to be 
        completed;
Whereas Congress should set an example for the Nation by implementing a 
        comprehensive, efficient, and cost-effective long-term energy 
        conservation program for all buildings and facilities under its 
        administration; and
Whereas Congress should comply with the energy conservation standards it has 
        established for Federal agencies, save taxpayers' dollars, and reduce 
        its contribution to air pollution and the disbursement of greenhouse 
        gases through energy conservation: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Architect of the Capitol--
            (1) shall develop and implement a cost-effective energy 
        conservation strategy for all facilities currently administered 
        by Congress to achieve a net reduction of 20 percent in energy 
        consumption on the congressional campus compared to fiscal year 
        1991 consumption levels on a Btu-per-gross-square-foot basis 
        not later than 7 years after the adoption of this resolution;
            (2) shall submit to Congress no later than 10 months after 
        the adoption of this resolution a comprehensive energy 
        conservation and management plan which includes life cycle 
        costs methods to determine the cost-effectiveness of proposed 
        energy efficiency projects;
            (3) shall submit to the Committee on Appropriations in the 
        Senate and the House of Representatives a request for the 
        amount of appropriations necessary to carry out this 
        resolution;
            (4) shall present to Congress annually a report on 
        congressional energy management and conservation programs which 
        details energy expenditures for each facility, energy 
        management and conservation projects, and future priorities to 
        ensure compliance with the requirements of this resolution;
            (5) shall perform energy surveys of all congressional 
        buildings and update such surveys as needed;
            (6) shall use such surveys to determine the cost and 
        payback period of energy and water conservation measures likely 
        to achieve the required energy consumption levels;
            (7) shall install energy and water conservation measures 
        that will achieve the requirements through previously 
        determined life cycle cost methods and procedures;
            (8) may contract with nongovernmental entities and employ 
        private sector capital to finance energy conservation projects 
        and achieve energy consumption targets;
            (9) may develop innovative contracting methods that will 
        attract private sector funding for the installation of energy-
        efficient and renewable energy technology to meet the 
        requirements of this resolution;
            (10) may participate in the Department of Energy's 
        Financing Renewable Energy and Efficiency (FREE Savings) 
        contracts program for Federal Government facilities; and
            (11) shall produce information packages and ``how-to'' 
        guides for each Member and employing authority of the Congress 
        that detail simple, cost-effective methods to save energy and 
        taxpayer dollars.
                                 <all>