[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 6 (Tuesday, January 13, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S214-S215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 23. Mr. SANDERS (for himself, Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Whitehouse) 
submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 1, 
to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline; which was ordered to lie on the 
table; as follows:

       After section 2, insert the following:

     SEC. ___. REBATES FOR PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF 
                   PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Photovoltaic system.--The term ``photovoltaic system'' 
     includes--
       (A) solar panels;
       (B) roof support structures;
       (C) inverters;
       (D) an energy storage system, if the energy storage system 
     is integrated with the photovoltaic system; and
       (E) any other hardware necessary for the installation of a 
     photovoltaic system.
       (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.
       (b) Rebates for Purchase and Installation of Photovoltaic 
     Systems.--
       (1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program 
     under which the Secretary shall provide rebates to eligible 
     individuals or entities for the purchase and installation of 
     photovoltaic systems for residential and commercial 
     properties in order to install, over the 10-year period 
     beginning on the date of enactment of this Act, not less than 
     an additional 10,000,000 photovoltaic systems in the United 
     States (as compared to the number of photovoltaic systems 
     installed in the United States as of the date of enactment of 
     this Act) with a cumulative capacity of not less than 60,000 
     megawatts.
       (2) Eligibility.--
       (A) In general.--To be eligible for a rebate under this 
     subsection--
       (i) the recipient of the rebate shall be a homeowner, 
     business, nonprofit entity, or State or local government that 
     purchased and installed a photovoltaic system for a property 
     located in the United States; and
       (ii) the recipient of the rebate shall meet such other 
     eligibility criteria as are determined to be appropriate by 
     the Secretary.
       (B) Other entities.--After public review and comment, the 
     Secretary may identify other individuals or entities located 
     in the United States that qualify for a rebate under this 
     subsection.
       (3) Amount.--Subject to paragraph (4)(B) and the 
     availability of appropriations under subsection (c), the 
     amount of a rebate provided to an eligible individual or 
     entity for the purchase and installation of a photovoltaic 
     system for a property under this subsection shall be equal to 
     the lesser of--
       (A) 15 percent of the initial capital costs for purchasing 
     and installing the photovoltaic system, including costs for 
     hardware,

[[Page S215]]

     permitting and other ``soft costs'', and installation; or
       (B) $10,000.
       (4) Intermediate report.--As soon as practicable after the 
     end of the 5-year period beginning on the date of enactment 
     of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the appropriate 
     committees of Congress, and publish on the website of the 
     Department of Energy, a report that describes--
       (A) the number of photovoltaic systems for residential and 
     commercial properties purchased and installed with rebates 
     provided under this subsection; and
       (B) any steps the Secretary will take to ensure that the 
     goal of the installation of an additional 10,000,000 
     photovoltaic systems in the United States is achieved by 
     2025.
       (5) Relationship to other law.--The authority provided 
     under this subsection shall be in addition to any other 
     authority under which credits or other types of financial 
     assistance are provided for installation of a photovoltaic 
     system for a property.
       (c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized 
     to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to carry out 
     this section.
                                 ______