[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1459 Introduced in House (IH)]







108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 1459

 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax credits for 
    making energy efficiency improvements to existing homes and for 
                constructing new energy efficient homes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 27, 2003

  Mr. Weller (for himself, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Foley) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide tax credits for 
    making energy efficiency improvements to existing homes and for 
                constructing new energy efficient homes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Save America's 
Valuable Energy Resources Act of 2003''.
    (b) Amendment of 1986 Code.--Except as otherwise expressly 
provided, whenever in this Act an amendment or repeal is expressed in 
terms of an amendment to, or repeal of, a section or other provision, 
the reference shall be considered to be made to a section or other 
provision of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

SEC. 2. CREDIT FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING HOMES.

    (a) In General.--Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
(relating to nonrefundable personal credits) is amended by inserting 
after section 25B the following new section:

``SEC. 25C. ENERGY EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING HOMES.

    ``(a) Allowance of Credit.--In the case of an individual, there 
shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter 
for the taxable year an amount equal to 20 percent of the amount paid 
or incurred by the taxpayer for qualified energy efficiency 
improvements installed during such taxable year.
    ``(b) Limitations.--
            ``(1) Maximum credit.--The credit allowed by this section 
        with respect to a dwelling shall not exceed $2,000.
            ``(2) Prior credit amounts for taxpayer on same dwelling 
        taken into account.--If a credit was allowed to the taxpayer 
        under subsection (a) with respect to a dwelling in 1 or more 
        prior taxable years, the amount of the credit otherwise 
        allowable for the taxable year with respect to that dwelling 
        shall not exceed the amount of $2,000 reduced by the sum of the 
        credits allowed under subsection (a) to the taxpayer with 
        respect to the dwelling for all prior taxable years.
            ``(3) Limitation based on amount of tax.--The credit 
        allowed under subsection (a) for the taxable year shall not 
        exceed the excess of--
                    ``(A) the sum of the regular tax liability (as 
                defined in section 26(b)) plus the tax imposed by 
                section 55, over
                    ``(B) the sum of the credits allowable under this 
                subpart (other than this section and section 23) and 
                section 27 for the taxable year.
    ``(c) Carryforward of Unused Credit.--If the credit allowable under 
subsection (a) exceeds the limitation imposed by subsection (b)(3) for 
such taxable year, such excess shall be carried to the succeeding 
taxable year and added to the credit allowable under subsection (a) for 
such succeeding taxable year.
    ``(d) Qualified Energy Efficiency Improvements.--For purposes of 
this section, the term `qualified energy efficiency improvements' means 
any energy efficient building envelope component which meets the 
prescriptive criteria for such component established by the 1998 
International Energy Conservation Code, if--
            ``(1) such component is installed in or on a dwelling--
                    ``(A) located in the United States, and
                    ``(B) owned and used by the taxpayer as the 
                taxpayer's principal residence (within the meaning of 
                section 121),
            ``(2) the original use of such component commences with the 
        taxpayer, and
            ``(3) such component reasonably can be expected to remain 
        in use for at least 5 years.
If the aggregate cost of such components with respect to any dwelling 
exceeds $1,000, such components shall be treated as qualified energy 
efficiency improvements only if such components are also certified in 
accordance with subsection (e) as meeting such criteria.
    ``(e) Certification.--The certification described in subsection (d) 
shall be--
            ``(1) determined on the basis of the technical 
        specifications or applicable ratings (including product 
        labeling requirements) for the measurement of energy 
        efficiency, based upon energy use or building envelope 
        component performance, for the energy efficient building 
        envelope component,
            ``(2) provided by a local building regulatory authority, a 
        utility, a manufactured home production inspection primary 
        inspection agency (IPIA), or an accredited home energy rating 
        system provider who is accredited by or otherwise authorized to 
        use approved energy performance measurement methods by the Home 
        Energy Ratings Systems Council or the National Association of 
        State Energy Officials, and
            ``(3) made in writing in a manner that specifies in readily 
        verifiable fashion the energy efficient building envelope 
        components installed and their respective energy efficiency 
        levels.
    ``(f) Definitions and Special Rules.--
            ``(1) Tenant-stockholder in cooperative housing 
        corporation.--In the case of an individual who is a tenant-
        stockholder (as defined in section 216) in a cooperative 
        housing corporation (as defined in such section), such 
individual shall be treated as having paid his tenant-stockholder's 
proportionate share (as defined in section 216(b)(3)) of the cost of 
qualified energy efficiency improvements made by such corporation.
            ``(2) Condominiums.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of an individual who 
                is a member of a condominium management association 
                with respect to a condominium which he owns, such 
                individual shall be treated as having paid his 
                proportionate share of the cost of qualified energy 
                efficiency improvements made by such association.
                    ``(B) Condominium management association.--For 
                purposes of this paragraph, the term `condominium 
                management association' means an organization which 
                meets the requirements of paragraph (1) of section 
                528(c) (other than subparagraph (E) thereof) with 
                respect to a condominium project substantially all of 
                the units of which are used as residences.
            ``(3) Building envelope component.--The term `building 
        envelope component' means insulation material or system which 
        is specifically and primarily designed to reduce the heat loss 
        or gain of a dwelling when installed in or on such dwelling, 
        exterior windows (including skylights) and doors, and metal 
        roofs with appropriate pigmented coatings which are 
        specifically and primarily designed to reduce the heat gain of 
        a dwelling when installed in or on such dwelling.
            ``(4) Manufactured homes included.--For purposes of this 
        section, the term `dwelling' includes a manufactured home which 
        conforms to Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety 
        Standards (24 CFR 3280).
    ``(g) Basis Adjustment.--For purposes of this subtitle, if a credit 
is allowed under this section for any expenditure with respect to any 
property, the increase in the basis of such property which would (but 
for this subsection) result from such expenditure shall be reduced by 
the amount of the credit so allowed.
    ``(h) Application of Section.--This section shall apply to 
qualified energy efficiency improvements installed after December 31, 
2002 and before January 1, 2008.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Subsection (a) of section 1016 is amended by striking 
        ``and'' at the end of paragraph (27), by striking the period at 
        the end of paragraph (28) and inserting ``, and'', and by 
        adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(29) to the extent provided in section 25C(g), in the 
        case of amounts with respect to which a credit has been allowed 
        under section 25C.''.
            (2) The table of sections for subpart A of part IV of 
        subchapter A of chapter 1 is amended by inserting after the 
        item relating to section 25B the following new item:

                              ``Sec. 25C. Energy efficiency 
                                        improvements to existing 
                                        homes.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years ending after December 31, 2002.

SEC. 3. BUSINESS CREDIT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME.

    (a) In General.--Subpart D of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 
(relating to business related credits) is amended by inserting after 
section 45F the following new section:

``SEC. 45G. NEW ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME CREDIT.

    ``(a) In General.--For purposes of section 38, in the case of an 
eligible contractor, the credit determined under this section for the 
taxable year is an amount equal to the aggregate adjusted bases of all 
energy efficient property installed in a qualified new energy efficient 
home during construction of such home.
    ``(b) Limitations.--
            ``(1) Maximum credit.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The credit allowed by this 
                section with respect to a dwelling shall not exceed 
                $2,000.
                    ``(B) Prior credit amounts on same dwelling taken 
                into account.--If a credit was allowed under subsection 
                (a) with respect to a dwelling in 1 or more prior 
                taxable years, the amount of the credit otherwise 
                allowable for the taxable year with respect to that 
                dwelling shall not exceed the amount of $2,000 reduced 
                by the sum of the credits allowed under subsection (a) 
                with respect to the dwelling for all prior taxable 
                years.
            ``(2) Coordination with rehabilitation and energy 
        credits.--For purposes of this section--
                    ``(A) the basis of any property referred to in 
                subsection (a) shall be reduced by that portion of the 
                basis of any property which is attributable to 
                qualified rehabilitation expenditures (as defined in 
                section 47(c)(2)) or to the energy percentage of energy 
                property (as determined under section 48(a)), and
                    ``(B) expenditures taken into account under either 
                section 47 or 48(a) shall not be taken into account 
                under this section.
    ``(c) Definitions.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) Eligible contractor.--The term `eligible contractor' 
        means the person who constructed the new energy efficient home, 
        or in the case of a manufactured home which conforms to Federal 
        Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (24 CFR 
        3280), the manufactured home producer of such home.
            ``(2) Energy efficient property.--The term `energy 
        efficient property' means any energy efficient building 
        envelope component, and any energy efficient heating or cooling 
        appliance.
            ``(3) Qualified new energy efficient home.--The term 
        `qualified new energy efficient home' means a dwelling--
                    ``(A) located in the United States,
                    ``(B) the construction of which is substantially 
                completed after December 31, 2002,
                    ``(C) the original use of which is as a principal 
                residence (within the meaning of section 121) which 
                commences with the person who acquires such dwelling 
                from the eligible contractor, and
                    ``(D) which is certified to have a level of annual 
                heating and cooling energy consumption that is at least 
                30 percent below the annual level of heating and 
                cooling energy consumption of a comparable dwelling 
                constructed in accordance with the standards of the 
                1998 International Energy Conservation Code and to have 
                building envelope component improvements account for 
                \1/3\ of such 30 percent.
            ``(4) Construction.--The term `construction' includes 
        reconstruction and rehabilitation.
            ``(5) Acquire.--The term `acquire' includes purchase and, 
        in the case of reconstruction and rehabilitation, such term 
        includes a binding written contract for such reconstruction or 
        rehabilitation.
            ``(6) Building envelope component.--The term `building 
        envelope component' means insulation material or system which 
        is specifically and primarily designed to reduce the heat loss 
        or gain of a dwelling when installed in or on such dwelling, 
        exterior windows (including skylights) and doors, and metal 
        roofs with appropriate pigmented coatings which are 
        specifically and primarily designed to reduce the heat gain of 
        a dwelling when installed in or on such dwelling.
            ``(7) Manufactured home included.--The term `dwelling' 
        includes a manufactured home conforming to Federal Manufactured 
        Home Construction and Safety Standards (24 CFR 3280).
    ``(d) Certification.--
            ``(1) Method.--A certification described in subsection 
        (c)(3)(D) shall be determined on the basis of one of the 
        following methods:
                    ``(A) The technical specifications or applicable 
                ratings (including product labeling requirements) for 
                the measurement of energy efficiency for the energy 
                efficient building envelope component or energy 
                efficient heating or cooling appliance, based upon 
                energy use or building envelope component performance.
                    ``(B) An energy performance measurement method that 
                utilizes computer software approved by organizations 
                designated by the Secretary.
            ``(2) Provider.--Such certification shall be provided by--
                    ``(A) in the case of a method described in 
                paragraph (1)(A), a local building regulatory 
                authority, a utility, a manufactured home production 
                inspection primary inspection agency (IPIA), or an 
                accredited home energy rating systems provider who is 
                accredited by, or otherwise authorized to use, approved 
                energy performance measurement methods by the Home 
                Energy Ratings Systems Council or the National 
                Association of State Energy Officials, or
                    ``(B) in the case of a method described in 
                paragraph (1)(B), an individual recognized by an 
                organization designated by the Secretary for such 
                purposes.
            ``(3) Form.--Such certification shall be made in writing in 
        a manner that specifies in readily verifiable fashion the 
        energy efficient building envelope components and energy 
        efficient heating or cooling appliances installed and their 
        respective energy efficiency levels, and in the case of a 
        method described in subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1), 
        accompanied by written analysis documenting the proper 
        application of a permissible energy performance measurement 
        method to the specific circumstances of such dwelling.
            ``(4) Regulations.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In prescribing regulations under 
                this subsection for energy performance measurement 
                methods, the Secretary shall prescribe procedures for 
                calculating annual energy costs for heating and cooling 
                and cost savings and for the reporting of the results. 
                Such regulations shall--
                            ``(i) be based on the National Home Energy 
                        Rating Technical Guidelines of the National 
                        Association of State Energy Officials, the Home 
                        Energy Rating Guidelines of the Home Energy 
                        Rating Systems Council, or the modified 1998 
                        California Residential ACM manual,
                            ``(ii) provide that any calculation 
                        procedures be developed such that the same 
                        energy efficiency measures allow a home to 
                        qualify for the credit under this section 
                        regardless of whether the house uses a gas or 
                        oil furnace or boiler or an electric heat pump, 
                        and
                            ``(iii) require that any computer software 
                        allow for the printing of the Federal tax forms 
                        necessary for the credit under this section and 
                        explanations for the homebuyer of the energy 
                        efficient features that were used to comply 
                        with the requirements of this section.
                    ``(B) Providers.--For purposes of paragraph (2)(B), 
                the Secretary shall establish requirements for the 
                designation of individuals based on the requirements 
                for energy consultants and home energy raters specified 
                by the National Association of State Energy Officials.
    ``(e) Basis Adjustment.--For purposes of this subtitle, if a credit 
is allowed under this section for any expenditure with respect to any 
property, the increase in the basis of such property which would (but 
for this subsection) result from such expenditure shall be reduced by 
the amount of the credit so allowed.
    ``(f) Application of Section.--Subsection (a) shall apply to 
dwellings purchased during the period beginning on January 1, 2003, and 
ending on December 31, 2007.''.
    (b) Credit Made Part of General Business Credit.--Subsection (b) of 
section 38 (relating to current year business credit) is amended by 
striking ``plus'' at the end of paragraph (14), by striking the period 
at the end of paragraph (15) and inserting ``, plus'', and by adding at 
the end thereof the following new paragraph:
            ``(16) the new energy efficient home credit determined 
        under section 45G.''.
    (c) Denial of Double Benefit.--Section 280C (relating to certain 
expenses for which credits are allowable) is amended by adding at the 
end thereof the following new subsection:
    ``(d) New Energy Efficient Home Expenses.--No deduction shall be 
allowed for that portion of expenses for a new energy efficient home 
otherwise allowable as a deduction for the taxable year which is equal 
to the amount of the credit determined for such taxable year under 
section 45G.''.
    (d) Limitation on Carryback.--Subsection (d) of section 39 is 
amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
            ``(11) No carryback of new energy efficient home credit 
        before effective date.--No portion of the unused business 
        credit for any taxable year which is attributable to the credit 
        determined under section 45G may be carried back to any taxable 
        year ending before January 1, 2003.''.
    (e) Deduction for Certain Unused Business Credits.--Subsection (c) 
of section 196 is amended by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
(9), by striking the period at the end of paragraph (10) and inserting 
``, and'', and by adding after paragraph (10) the following new 
paragraph:
            ``(11) the new energy efficient home credit determined 
        under section 45G.''.
    (f) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for subpart D of 
part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 is amended by inserting after the 
item relating to section 45F the following new item:

                              ``Sec. 45G. New energy efficient home 
                                        credit.''.
    (g) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years ending after December 31, 2002.

SEC. 4. ALLOWANCE OF DEDUCTION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT COMMERCIAL BUILDING 
              PROPERTY.

    (a) In General.--Part VI of subchapter B of chapter 1 (relating to 
itemized deductions for individuals and corporations) is amended by 
inserting after section 179A the following new section:

``SEC. 179B. DEDUCTION FOR ENERGY EFFICIENT COMMERCIAL BUILDING 
              PROPERTY.

    ``(a) Allowance of Deduction.--
            ``(1) In general.--There shall be allowed as a deduction an 
        amount equal to energy efficient commercial building property 
        expenditures made by a taxpayer for the taxable year.
            ``(2) Maximum amount of deduction.--The amount of energy 
        efficient commercial building property expenditures taken into 
        account under paragraph (1) shall not exceed an amount equal to 
        the product of--
                    ``(A) $2.25, and
                    ``(B) the square footage of the building with 
                respect to which the expenditures are made.
            ``(3) Year deduction allowed.--The deduction under 
        paragraph (1) shall be allowed for the taxable year in which 
        the building is placed in service.
    ``(b) Energy Efficient Commercial Building Property Expenditures.--
For purposes of this section, the term `energy efficient commercial 
building property expenditures' means an amount paid or incurred for 
energy efficient commercial building property installed on or in 
connection with new construction or reconstruction of property--
            ``(1) for which depreciation is allowable under section 
        167,
            ``(2) which is located in the United States, and
            ``(3) the construction or erection of which is completed by 
        the taxpayer.
Such property includes all residential rental property, including low-
rise multifamily structures and single family housing property which is 
not within the scope of Standard 90.1-1999 (described in subsection 
(c)). Such term includes expenditures for labor costs properly 
allocable to the onsite preparation, assembly, or original installation 
of the property.
    ``(c) Energy Efficient Commercial Building Property.--For purposes 
of subsection (b)--
            ``(1) In general.--The term `energy efficient commercial 
        building property' means any property which reduces total 
        annual energy and power costs with respect to the lighting, 
        heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water supply systems of 
        the building by 50 percent or more in comparison to a reference 
        building which meets the requirements of Standard 90.1-1999 of 
        the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air 
        Conditioning Engineers and the Illuminating Engineering Society 
        of North America using methods of calculation under paragraph 
        (2) and certified by qualified professionals as provided under 
        subsection (f).
            ``(2) Methods of calculation.--The Secretary, in 
        consultation with the Secretary of Energy, shall promulgate 
        regulations which describe in detail methods for calculating 
        and verifying energy and power consumption and cost, taking 
        into consideration the provisions of the 1998 California 
        Nonresidential ACM Manual. These procedures shall meet the 
        following requirements:
                    ``(A) In calculating tradeoffs and energy 
                performance, the regulations shall prescribe the costs 
                per unit of energy and power, such as kilowatt hour, 
                kilowatt, gallon of fuel oil, and cubic foot or Btu of 
                natural gas, which may be dependent on time of usage.
                    ``(B) The calculational methodology shall require 
                that compliance be demonstrated for a whole building. 
                If some systems of the building, such as lighting, are 
                designed later than other systems of the building, the 
                method shall provide that either--
                            ``(i) the expenses taken into account under 
                        subsection (a) shall not occur until the date 
                        designs for all energy-using systems of the 
                        building are completed,
                            ``(ii) the energy performance of all 
                        systems and components not yet designed shall 
                        be assumed to comply minimally with the 
                        requirements of such Standard 90.1-1999, or
                            ``(iii) the expenses taken into account 
                        under subsection (a) shall be a fraction of 
                        such expenses based on the performance of less 
                        than all energy-using systems in accordance 
                        with subparagraph (C).
                    ``(C) The expenditures in connection with the 
                design of subsystems in the building, such as the 
                envelope, the heating, ventilation, air conditioning 
                and water heating system, and the lighting system shall 
                be allocated to the appropriate building subsystem 
                based on system-specific energy cost savings targets in 
                regulations promulgated by the Secretary of Energy 
                which are equivalent, using the calculation 
                methodology, to the whole building requirement of 50 
                percent savings.
                    ``(D) The calculational methods under this 
                subparagraph need not comply fully with section 11 of 
                such Standard 90.1-1999.
                    ``(E) The calculational methods shall be fuel 
                neutral, such that the same energy efficiency features 
                shall qualify a building for the deduction under this 
                subsection regardless of whether the heating source is 
a gas or oil furnace or an electric heat pump.
                    ``(F) The calculational methods shall provide 
                appropriate calculated energy savings for design 
                methods and technologies not otherwise credited in 
                either such Standard 90.1-1999 or in the 1998 
                California Nonresidential ACM Manual, including the 
                following:
                            ``(i) Natural ventilation.
                            ``(ii) Evaporative cooling.
                            ``(iii) Automatic lighting controls such as 
                        occupancy sensors, photocells, and timeclocks.
                            ``(iv) Daylighting.
                            ``(v) Designs utilizing semi-conditioned 
                        spaces that maintain adequate comfort 
                        conditions without air conditioning or without 
                        heating.
                            ``(vi) Improved fan system efficiency, 
                        including reductions in static pressure.
                            ``(vii) Advanced unloading mechanisms for 
                        mechanical cooling, such as multiple or 
                        variable speed compressors.
                            ``(viii) The calculational methods may take 
                        into account the extent of commissioning in the 
                        building, and allow the taxpayer to take into 
                        account measured performance that exceeds 
                        typical performance.
            ``(3) Computer software.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Any calculation under this 
                subsection shall be prepared by qualified computer 
                software.
                    ``(B) Qualified computer software.--For purposes of 
                this paragraph, the term `qualified computer software' 
                means software--
                            ``(i) for which the software designer has 
                        certified that the software meets all 
                        procedures and detailed methods for calculating 
                        energy and power consumption and costs as 
                        required by the Secretary,
                            ``(ii) which provides such forms as 
                        required to be filed by the Secretary in 
                        connection with energy efficiency of property 
                        and the deduction allowed under this section, 
                        and
                            ``(iii) which provides a notice form which 
                        summarizes the energy efficiency features of 
                        the building and its projected annual energy 
                        costs.
    ``(d) Allocation of Deduction for Public Property.--In the case of 
energy efficient commercial building property installed on or in public 
property, the Secretary shall promulgate a regulation to allow the 
allocation of the deduction to the person primarily responsible for 
designing the property in lieu of the public entity which is the owner 
of such property. Such person shall be treated as the taxpayer for 
purposes of this section.
    ``(e) Notice to Owner.--The qualified individual shall provide an 
explanation to the owner of the building regarding the energy 
efficiency features of the building and its projected annual energy 
costs as provided in the notice under subsection (c)(3)(B)(iii).
    ``(f) Certification.--The Secretary, in consultation with the 
Secretary of Energy, shall establish requirements for certification and 
compliance procedures similar to the procedures under section 45G(d).
    ``(g) Basis Reduction.--For purposes of this title, the basis of 
any property shall be reduced by the amount of the deduction with 
respect to such property which is allowed by subsection (a).
    ``(h) Termination.--This section shall not apply to property placed 
in service after December 31, 2007.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Section 1016(a) is amended by striking ``and'' at the 
        end of paragraph (28), by striking the period at the end of 
        paragraph (29) and inserting ``, and'', and by inserting the 
        following new paragraph:
            ``(30) to the extent provided in section 179B(g).''.
            (2) Section 1245(a) is amended by inserting ``179B,'' after 
        ``179A,'' both places it appears in paragraphs (2)(C) and 
        (3)(C).
            (3) Section 1250(b)(3) is amended by inserting before the 
        period at the end of the first sentence ``or by section 179B''.
            (4) Section 263(a)(1) is amended by striking ``or'' at the 
        end of subparagraph (G), by striking the period at the end of 
        subparagraph (H) and inserting ``, or'', and by inserting after 
        subparagraph (H) the following new subparagraph:
                    ``(I) expenditures for which a deduction is allowed 
                under section 179B.''.
            (5) Section 312(k)(3)(B) is amended by striking ``or 179A'' 
        each place it appears in the heading and text and inserting ``, 
        179A, or 179B''.
    (c) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections for part VI of 
subchapter B of chapter 1 is amended by adding after section 179A the 
following new item:

                              ``Sec. 179B. Deduction for energy 
                                        efficient commercial building 
                                        property.''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2002.
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