[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 175 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[House]
[Pages H7190-H7192]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         STREAMLINING ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR SCHOOLS ACT OF 2015

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 756) to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to provide 
for the dissemination of information regarding available Federal 
programs relating to energy efficiency projects for schools, and for 
other purposes.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 756

       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 2015''.

     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.--Notwithstanding section 
     391(6), for the purposes of 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 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))).

[[Page H7191]]

       ``(2) Establishment of clearinghouse.--The Secretary, 
     acting through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
     Energy, shall establish a clearinghouse to disseminate 
     information regarding available Federal programs and 
     financing mechanisms that may be used to help initiate, 
     develop, and finance energy efficiency, distributed 
     generation, and energy retrofitting projects for schools.
       ``(3) Requirements.--In carrying out paragraph (2), the 
     Secretary shall--
       ``(A) consult with appropriate Federal agencies to develop 
     a list of Federal programs and financing mechanisms that are, 
     or may be, used for the purposes described in paragraph (2); 
     and
       ``(B) coordinate with appropriate Federal agencies to 
     develop a collaborative education and outreach effort to 
     streamline communications and promote available Federal 
     programs and financing mechanisms described in subparagraph 
     (A), which may include the development and maintenance of a 
     single online resource that includes contact information for 
     relevant technical assistance in the Office of Energy 
     Efficiency and Renewable Energy that States, local education 
     agencies, and schools may use to effectively access and use 
     such Federal programs and financing mechanisms.''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Olson) and the gentleman from Vermont (Mr. Welch) each will 
control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
to insert extraneous materials in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  H.R. 756, the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act, is an 
important bill that would help the Nation's schools make use of 
existing Federal programs to reduce their energy use.
  There are currently a number of such programs that help schools 
undertake projects that improve energy efficiency. Unfortunately, 
school districts don't always have the know-how to navigate the 
complexities of the Federal system and take full advantage of these 
programs. This bill creates a simple, one-stop shop to get all the 
needed information and help the school districts participate more fully 
in these programs. The bottom line is that the Nation's schools will 
reduce their energy costs.
  As it is, energy use in American K-12 schools totals $6 billion a 
year, and reducing this figure can save taxpayer dollars or free up 
funds that schools can use on things other than on energy bills. H.R. 
756 has no cost since it merely sets up a system under which existing 
school energy efficiency programs can work better.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 756.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank my colleague from Texas.
  This bill is important. I am here with my colleague Mr. Cartwright, 
who will be speaking on this in a few minutes and who played a major 
role in the passage of this legislation. Even though he is not a member 
of the Energy and Commerce Committee, he is very much concerned about 
the opportunities that occur when we make our energy use more 
efficient.
  Across the country, K-12 school districts spend literally billions of 
dollars on their energy bills each year while an estimated 14 million 
American children attend deteriorating public schools. According to a 
Department of Education survey, 43 percent of schools indicated that 
the poor condition of their facilities interferes with the delivery of 
instruction, and those are probably schools in my district and in all 
of our colleagues'. By upgrading these systems, we can increase 
efficiency and get better educational outcomes.
  It is not good for kids to be cold or too hot when they are trying to 
study and learn. There are numbers of Federal initiatives already 
available to schools to help them become more energy efficient, but the 
problem is these programs are spread across the entire Federal 
Government, making it difficult for a small school, particularly in a 
rural district, to know where to look and how to take full advantage of 
these programs.
  That is where this legislation comes in. As I mentioned, introduced 
by Congressman Cartwright and with my strong support, this Streamlining 
Energy Efficiency for Schools Act will provide a coordinating structure 
for schools to help them better navigate available Federal programs and 
financing options.
  At this point, Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to 
the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright).
  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. I thank the gentleman from Vermont.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the leadership for taking this bill up under 
suspension today.
  I remain hopeful that a compromise energy package can still be agreed 
upon this Congress, and I am glad this bill was included in both the 
House and Senate versions of that energy package. Nonetheless, I am 
pleased that commonsense ideas, such as this one, may still become law 
even if the larger package proves too large a lift in the last days of 
this Congress.
  I thank Congressman Peter Welch for his leadership on this bill. It 
is no secret that he is one of the great champions in the House of 
Representatives on the issue of energy efficiency, and it has been my 
pleasure to work with him on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, so many schools across the country are in need of 
upgrades and improvements to their facilities. In its last Report Card 
for America's Infrastructure, the American Society of Civil Engineers 
gave the condition of our Nation's schools a grade of D. As school 
administrators undertake badly needed improvements, they have an 
opportunity here to substantially increase their facilities' energy 
efficiency, producing benefits for both the environment and the 
economy. In reducing their energy bills, schools can put the savings to 
use in other educational priorities.
  K-12 school districts currently spend billions on their energy bills 
every year--in fact, according to ENERGY STAR, approximately $6 billion 
every year--second only to personnel costs and way ahead of the costs 
of textbooks and supplies and things like that. Energy expenses are one 
of the few costs that can be reduced while, at the same time, improving 
classroom instruction. In fact, high-performance schools can lower a 
school district's operating costs by up to 30 percent.
  There are numerous Federal initiatives already available to schools 
to help them become more energy efficient. As the gentleman from 
Vermont just mentioned, the problem is that these programs are spread 
across the Federal Government, making it challenging, time consuming, 
and costly for schools to identify and take full advantage of these 
programs.
  Introduced in the Senate as S. 523, by Senator Susan Collins, this 
bipartisan Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act aims to 
provide a coordinating structure for schools to help them better 
navigate available Federal programs and financing options.
  This legislation does not spend an additional dime of taxpayer money, 
and it keeps decisionmaking authority with the States, the school 
boards, and local officials.
  It is a bill that establishes a clearinghouse through the Office of 
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which will disseminate 
information on Federal programs and financing mechanisms that may be 
used to develop energy efficiency, distributed generation, and energy 
retrofitting projects for schools.

                              {time}  1230

  This bill also directs the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable 
Energy to coordinate with Federal agencies and develop an outreach 
effort to streamline communications and promote available Federal 
programs. This kind of outreach may include a single Web site that 
school officials can go to for one-stop shopping and learn about 
relevant energy efficiency programs.
  Overburdened school administrators shouldn't have to spend hours and 
hours wading through the Federal bureaucracy as they look for ways to 
make energy efficiency improvements. This commonsense legislation will 
ensure that schools can more easily take advantage of already existing 
energy efficiency programs. It is a strategic

[[Page H7192]]

and cost-saving investment to relieve the fiscal pressure felt by 
school districts across the Nation while bringing us closer to American 
energy security.
  So for all of these reasons, Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to 
pass this bill.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from 
Georgia, the Peach State (Mr. Carter).
  Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 
756, the Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act of 2015.
  Efficient use of energy can help reduce consumption, lower energy 
bills, and may also help the environment as well. The benefits of 
energy efficiency can extend to our homes, businesses, and public 
institutions, including schools. There is a multitude of programs and 
finance mechanisms available for schools to use to further their energy 
efficiency goals. However, information on these resources is hard to 
find; and, as a result, schools may be missing out on opportunities to 
make their facilities more energy efficient.
  H.R. 756 would direct the Department of Energy to create a 
clearinghouse in order to disseminate information on energy efficiency 
programs and grants for schools. This bill would also help facilitate 
coordination between Federal agencies so that they may develop a 
collaborative effort to help schools meet their energy efficiency 
needs.
  I urge my colleagues to support our schools in their efforts to 
become more energy efficient by supporting H.R. 756.
  Mr. WELCH. Mr. Speaker, everything that needs to be said has been 
said.
  I appreciate the work of my colleague from Texas (Mr. Olson), and I 
really do appreciate as well the leadership of the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright), who has been very, very active on 
anything related to making better use of our energy.
  I urge passage of this legislation.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, this is a commonsense bill that helps schools 
all across America. I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on H.R. 756.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) that the House suspend the rules and 
pass the bill, H.R. 756.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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