[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 55 (Thursday, April 14, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2517-S2518]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. UDALL of Colorado (for himself and Ms. Collings):
  S. 828. A bill to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to 
establish the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy as the 
lead Federal agency for coordinating Federal, State, and local 
assistance provided to promote the energy retrofitting of schools; to 
the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. President, today I am introducing a 
bipartisan bill along with my colleague Senator Collins to help improve 
the health and efficiency of our schools by making them more energy 
efficient, while creating much-needed jobs in the process. Though it is 
often over-looked, energy efficiency is a huge job creator. Not only 
does it create jobs through the purchase and installation of efficient 
materials, it frees up scarce school finances to retain teachers and 
important programs.
  There are numerous Federal programs and funds already available to 
schools to help them become more energy efficient. However, as I 
learned in my travels across Colorado, schools face a morass of 
programs and agency offices across the government, and it is 
challenging for schools to take full advantage of them.
  The bipartisan Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2011 
will force the government to coordinate their efforts so that schools 
are less confused and they can better navigate the existing Federal 
programs and financing options available to them. Put simply, it will 
streamline the Federal Government while still leaving decisions to the 
States, school boards and local officials to determine what is best for 
their schools.
  I have seen the benefits of energy efficient buildings first hand 
when traveling in Colorado. The Cherry Creek School District in 
Greenwood Village, Colorado has incorporated day lighting techniques 
and ice storage to cool the buildings during the day. Because of these 
innovative improvements, the school district has enjoyed significant 
cost savings. In another example, the Poudre School District in Fort 
Collins, Colorado, actively promotes sustainable design guidelines, 
calling it their ``Ethic of Sustainability.'' This program includes an 
elementary school in Fort Collins that actually uses recycled blue 
jeans as insulation for the school buildings.
  I hope that in passing this bill we will see more examples of these 
successful and creative projects across the country--projects that will 
increase the efficiency of our schools and teach our students about the 
importance of saving energy. I urge my colleagues--of both parties--to 
join me in supporting this bipartisan legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 828

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Streamlining Energy 
     Efficiency for Schools Act of 2011''.

     SEC. 2. COORDINATION OF ENERGY RETROFITTING ASSISTANCE FOR 
                   SCHOOLS.

       Section 392 of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 
     U.S.C. 6371a) is amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(e) Coordination of Energy Retrofitting Assistance for 
     Schools.--
       ``(1) Definition of school.--In this subsection, the term 
     `school' means--
       ``(A) an elementary school or secondary school (as defined 
     in section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act 
     of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7801));
       ``(B) an institution of higher education (as defined in 
     section 102(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1002(a));
       ``(C) a school of the defense dependents' education system 
     under the Defense Dependents' Education Act of 1978 (20 
     U.S.C. 921 et

[[Page S2518]]

     seq.) or established under section 2164 of title 10, United 
     States Code;
       ``(D) a school operated by the Bureau of Indian Affairs;
       ``(E) a tribally controlled school (as defined in section 
     5212 of the Tribally Controlled Schools Act of 1988 (25 
     U.S.C. 2511); and
       ``(F) a Tribal College or University (as defined in section 
     316(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
     1059c(b))).
       ``(2) Designation of lead agency.--The Secretary, acting 
     through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 
     shall act as the lead Federal agency for coordinating and 
     disseminating information on existing Federal programs and 
     assistance that may be used to help initiate, develop, and 
     finance energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy 
     retrofitting projects for schools.
       ``(3) Requirements.--In carrying out coordination and 
     outreach under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall--
       ``(A) in consultation and coordination with the appropriate 
     Federal agencies, carry out a review of existing programs and 
     financing mechanisms (including revolving loan funds and loan 
     guarantees) available in or from the Department of 
     Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of 
     Education, the Department of the Treasury, the Internal 
     Revenue Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and 
     other appropriate Federal agencies with jurisdiction over 
     energy financing and facilitation that are currently used or 
     may be used to help initiate, develop, and finance energy 
     efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting 
     projects for schools;
       ``(B) establish a Federal cross-departmental collaborative 
     coordination, education, and outreach effort to streamline 
     communication and promote available Federal opportunities and 
     assistance described in subparagraph (A), for energy 
     efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting 
     projects that enables States, local educational agencies, and 
     schools--
       ``(i) to use existing Federal opportunities more 
     effectively; and
       ``(ii) to form partnerships with Governors, State energy 
     programs, local educational, financial, and energy officials, 
     State and local government officials, nonprofit 
     organizations, and other appropriate entities, to support the 
     initiation of the projects;
       ``(C) provide technical assistance for States, local 
     educational agencies, and schools to help develop and finance 
     energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting 
     projects--
       ``(i) to increase the energy efficiency of buildings or 
     facilities;
       ``(ii) to install systems that individually generate energy 
     from renewable energy resources;
       ``(iii) to establish partnerships to leverage economies of 
     scale and additional financing mechanisms available to larger 
     clean energy initiatives; or
       ``(iv) to promote--

       ``(I) the maintenance of health, environmental quality, and 
     safety in schools, including the ambient air quality, through 
     energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofit 
     projects; and
       ``(II) the achievement of expected energy savings and 
     renewable energy production through proper operations and 
     maintenance practices;

       ``(D) develop and maintain a single online resource website 
     with contact information for relevant technical assistance 
     and support staff in the Office of Energy Efficiency and 
     Renewable Energy for States, local educational agencies, and 
     schools to effectively access and use Federal opportunities 
     and assistance described in subparagraph (A) to develop 
     energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy retrofitting 
     projects; and
       ``(E) establish a process for recognition of schools that--
       ``(i) have successfully implemented energy efficiency, 
     renewable energy, and energy retrofitting projects; and
       ``(ii) are willing to serve as resources for other local 
     educational agencies and schools to assist initiation of 
     similar efforts.
       ``(4) Report.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall submit to 
     Congress a report describing the implementation of this 
     subsection.
       ``(5) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection 
     such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal years 2012 
     through 2016.''.
                                 2_____
                                 
      By Mr. FRANKEN (for himself, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Schumer, Mrs. 
        Gillibrand, and Mr. Sanders):
  S. 831. A bill to amend the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 to 
provide for country of origin labeling for dairy products; to the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, today, I am reintroducing the Dairy 
Country Of Origin Labeling Act, or Dairy COOL, with Senator Schumer, 
Senator Gillibrand, Senator Sherrod Brown, and Senator Sanders.
  Our bill is very straightforward; it simply extends country of origin 
labeling requirements to dairy products. The current country of origin 
labeling law, which went into effect in 2008, applies to meats, 
produce, and nuts, but it doesn't include dairy products. Our bill adds 
dairy products--including milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and butter--
to the list.
  This bill is about families. Minnesota families should have the right 
to know where the food they buy was produced. Consumers have this 
information for meat and produce; they should have it for the dairy 
products they feed their families every day. Minnesota dairy farmers 
and family farmers across the Nation should have the right to 
distinguish their products from imported products.
  Hardly a week goes by where you don't hear another story of 
contaminated food and toys that were imported from foreign countries 
but only discovered after they were in American homes. Labeling our 
dairy products lets parents make informed choices at the grocery store. 
It gives consumers the information they need to be confident about the 
quality and safety of the food they buy.
  Farming is a risky business. Prices have stabilized for now, but less 
than two years ago, high feed prices and unpredictable price swings 
threatened the viability of family dairies across the country. This 
bill isn't a silver bullet, but it does give family farms another tool 
that will help them compete in a crowded marketplace. And it gives 
consumers the option to purchase milk and cheese from our own family 
farms.
  So I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be 
printed in the Record, as follows:

                                 S. 831

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

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Dairy COOL Act of 2011''.

     SEC. 2. COUNTRY OF ORIGIN LABELING FOR DAIRY PRODUCTS.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 281 of the Agricultural Marketing 
     Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1638) is amended--
       (1) in paragraph (2)--
       (A) in subparagraph (A)--
       (i) in clause (x), by striking ``and'' at the end;
       (ii) in clause (xi), by striking the period at the end and 
     inserting ``; and''; and
       (iii) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(xii) dairy products.''; and
       (B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ``(other than clause 
     (xii) of that subparagraph)'' after ``subparagraph (A)'';
       (2) by redesignating paragraphs (3) through (9) as 
     paragraphs (4) through (10), respectively; and
       (3) by inserting after paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(3) Dairy product.--The term `dairy product' means--
       ``(A) fluid milk;
       ``(B) cheese, including cottage cheese and cream cheese;
       ``(C) yogurt;
       ``(D) ice cream;
       ``(E) butter; and
       ``(F) any other dairy product.''.
       (b) Notice of Country of Origin.--Section 282(a) of the 
     Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1638a(a)) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:
       ``(5) Designation of country of origin for dairy 
     products.--
       ``(A) In general.--A retailer of a covered commodity that 
     is a dairy product shall designate the origin of the covered 
     commodity as--
       ``(i) each country in which or from the 1 or more dairy 
     ingredients or dairy components of the covered commodity were 
     produced, originated, or sourced; and
       ``(ii) each country in which the covered commodity was 
     processed.
       ``(B) State, region, locality of the united states.--With 
     respect to a covered commodity that is a dairy product 
     produced exclusively in the United States, designation by a 
     retailer of the State, region, or locality of the United 
     States where the covered commodity was produced shall be 
     sufficient to identify the United States as the country of 
     origin.''.
                                 ______