[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 54 (Tuesday, March 31, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E825]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      BEST-IN-CLASS APPLIANCE BILL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JANE HARMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 31, 2009

  Ms. HARMAN. Madam Speaker, Congressman Mike Rogers of Michigan and I 
have co-authored H.R. 1786, a bill that will help Americans transition 
from older, energy-wasting washing machines, refrigerators, and other 
household appliances to newer, super-efficient versions.
  According to the Department of Energy, appliances currently account 
for about 20 percent of energy bills in a typical household. Many of 
these ``clunkers'' are the products of another era--manufactured years 
(sometimes decades) ago, when technology was antiquated and efficiency 
a low priority. Removing old, inefficient appliances from circulation 
will go a long way toward cutting energy consumption and reducing 
greenhouse gas emissions.
  Our bill will task the DOE with creating a ``Best-in-Class'' 
appliance program to provide financial ``bonuses'' to retailers for 
every Best-in-Class product sold (defined as the top 10 percent of 
models in the product class, in terms of efficiency), and to 
manufacturers that mass produce Best-in-Class appliances.
  Retailers who participate in the program must provide a government-
funded ``bounty'' (a reduction in price for a new, more efficient 
appliance) to consumers who surrender old appliances. Experience shows 
that many consumers hoard old appliances--perhaps moving them from the 
kitchen to the basement--eliminating the potential energy savings 
resulting from the purchase of a newer appliance. This trade-in feature 
will help take these clunkers completely out of circulation, 
substantially accelerating our transition to an energy-efficient 
economy.
  This bill is a consensus product, and is endorsed by the NRDC and 
leading industry groups. We urge its swift passage.

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