[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 562 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 562

Expressing the sense of the Senate that performance-based contracts for 
   energy savings are a budget-neutral means to support the Federal 
   Government in reducing its energy consumption without increasing 
 spending while simultaneously supporting United States based jobs and 
                         economic development.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           September 18, 2014

  Mr. Coons (for himself, Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Portman, Ms. 
    Landrieu, Ms. Collins, Mr. Franken, Mr. Graham, Mr. Wyden, Mr. 
 Chambliss, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Reed, Mr. Merkley, Mr. King, Mr. Schatz, 
 Mr. Markey, Mr. Booker, Mr. Blumenthal, Ms. Warren, and Mr. Donnelly) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                             on the Budget

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Senate that performance-based contracts for 
   energy savings are a budget-neutral means to support the Federal 
   Government in reducing its energy consumption without increasing 
 spending while simultaneously supporting United States based jobs and 
                         economic development.

Whereas Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Service 
        Contracts were first authorized by Congress in 1986 and 1992 
        respectively and reduce energy costs and consumption at Federal 
        buildings and facilities without relying on additional appropriations;
Whereas the contracts are financed by a third-party and realize sufficient 
        energy savings to cover the cost of the financed improvements over the 
        contract term;
Whereas the contractor provides a guarantee of energy savings for the Energy 
        Savings Performance Contract and the utility provides energy savings 
        performance assurances or guarantees of the savings for the Utility 
        Energy Service Contract;
Whereas performance-based contracting is an opportunity for significant savings 
        so much so that the Oak Ridge National Laboratory has determined that 
        under an Energy Savings Performance Contract the total cost savings 
        delivered to the Government is nearly twice the guaranteed amount;
Whereas the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 required a Government-
        wide audit of facilities and, although to date only half of those 
        buildings have been surveyed, it has been established that at least 
        $9,000,000,000 worth of energy savings that could be achieved within a 
        decade;
Whereas the Office of Management and Budget first recognized savings from Energy 
        Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy Service Contracts on an 
        annual basis throughout the term of the contract as far back as 1998;
Whereas the Congressional Budget Office instead has determined that the full 
        cost of the authority to enter into the long-term contracts for capital 
        investments be scored upfront as new mandatory spending while the 
        savings in energy costs that flow from these investments be realized 
        over time as part of the annual appropriations process;
Whereas this has continued to hinder the ability of Congress to pass legislation 
        ensuring additional energy and cost savings to the Federal Government 
        through utilization of these contracts despite their proven savings; and
Whereas there is broad bipartisan and bicameral recognition in Congress of the 
        value of these energy saving contracts: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that legislation 
regarding Energy Savings Performance Contracts and Utility Energy 
Service Contracts, and legislation which may lead to their use by the 
Federal Government, should receive Congressional scoring treatment that 
allows future year guaranteed discretionary savings to be counted 
against the mandatory spending attributed to undertaking such 
contracts.
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