[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 99 (Monday, June 12, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H4825-H4826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         STREAMLINING ENERGY EFFICIENCY FOR SCHOOLS ACT OF 2017

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 627) 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. 627

       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 2017''.

     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))).
       ``(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 
Michigan (Mr. Upton) and the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Michigan.


                             General Leave

  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include 
extraneous material on H.R. 627.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Michigan?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 627, is an important bill that would 
help the Nation's schools make use of existing Federal programs to 
actually reduce their energy use. There currently are 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

[[Page H4826]]

of the Federal system and take full advantage of these programs.
  The bill creates a simple one-stop shop to get all the needed 
information and help school districts participate more fully in these 
programs. The bottom line is that the Nation's schools will, in fact, 
reduce their energy costs.
  As it is, energy use in American K-12 schools totals $6 billion every 
year, and reducing this figure can certainly save taxpayer dollars or 
free up funds that schools can use on things other than energy bills.
  This bill, H.R. 627, has no cost since it merely sets up a system 
under which existing school energy efficiency programs can work better.
  A similar bill was passed under suspension of the rules at the end of 
the last Congress, and I would hope that we can do it today, at the 
beginning of this Congress, so that the Senate can follow suit and get 
this to the President's desk.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to voice my strong support for H.R. 627, Mr. 
Cartwright's Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act. This is a 
great bill that will provide a coordinated structure for our Nation's 
schools to help them better navigate available Federal programs and 
financing options.
  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. By upgrading 
these systems, we can increase efficiency and focus school funding to 
achieve better educational outcomes.
  This legislation passed the House previously with broad bipartisan 
support, and I urge everybody to support it.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from Pennsylvania (Mr. Cartwright), the author of the bill.
  Mr. CARTWRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the leadership and Chairman 
Upton for bringing this bill up under suspension today, and I thank the 
gentlewoman from Colorado for yielding me the time.
  I thank the entire Energy and Commerce Committee, which, once again, 
voted unanimously in committee in favor of this bill--a bill that has 
passed the House twice under suspension in each of the past two 
Congresses. Both times it passed during the final days of the Congress, 
and the Senate did not have a chance to take the bill up. I am glad the 
House is considering it now in plenty of time for the Senate to 
consider it and act.
  I would also thank Congressman Peter Welch from Vermont for his 
leadership on the bill. It is no secret that he is one of the great 
champions in the House on the issue of energy efficiency, and it has 
been my pleasure to work with him.
  Mr. Speaker, so many schools across the country are in need of 
upgrades and improvements to their facilities. In its most recent 2017 
Infrastructure Report Card, the American Society of Civil Engineers 
gave the condition of our Nation's schools a grade of D-plus.
  As school administrators undertake badly needed improvements, they 
have an opportunity to substantially improve 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 on other educational priorities.
  According to the EPA and the Department of Energy, K-12 school 
districts nationwide spend approximately $8 billion on their energy 
bills every year--second only to personnel costs--exceeding the costs 
of textbooks and supplies. An estimated $2 billion of that cost could 
be saved by improving energy efficiency, an amount that could pay for, 
for example, 40 million textbooks.
  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, but 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.
  In addition, schools can use several different general purpose 
programs for energy efficiency projects if they know how to locate and 
apply for them.
  Introduced in the Senate as S. 383 by Senator Susan Collins, this 
bipartisan Streamlining Energy Efficiency for Schools Act aims to 
provide a coordinating structure for busy school administrators to help 
them better navigate available Federal programs and financing options.
  This legislation does not spend an additional dime and keeps its 
decisionmaking authority with the States, the school boards, and local 
officials.
  This bill 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.
  The 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. Such outreach may include a single website where school 
officials can learn more about the relevant programs.
  Overburdened school administrators should not have to spend hours and 
hours wading through the Federal bureaucracy as they look for ways to 
improve energy efficiency. This commonsense legislation will ensure 
that schools can more easily take advantage of existing energy 
efficiency programs.
  It is a strategic and cost-saving investment to relieve the fiscal 
pressure felt by school districts across the country, supported by 
overburdened homeowners, while bringing us closer to energy security in 
America.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to pass this bill.
  Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support this 
great, bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. DeGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Upton) that the House suspend the rules 
and pass the bill, H.R. 627.
  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.

                          ____________________