Dive Brief:
- A bipartisan energy efficiency bill introduced in the Senate last week is identical to a bill which passed the House earlier in the year, but is also a smaller version of a bill which stalled in May.
- Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) introduced the bill, which has been referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, the Hill reports.
- The House version, introduced by Reps. David B. McKinley (R-WV) and Peter Welch (D-VT), encompasses proposals to reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings and passed with strong support.
Dive Insight:
The Hill points out that a bill introduced by Shaheen and Portman, S. 2971, is identical to the McKinley-Welch bill, and is a smaller version of the senators' efficiency package which was stalled earlier in the year.
The House bill passed by a vote of 375-36 and is the first significant bipartisan energy initiative approved by the House in the 113th Congress.
"I have long believed that energy efficiency is an area of common ground in this divided Congress,” Welch said during floor debate. “Saving energy creates jobs, saves money and improves the environment. We have disagreements on the causes of climate change and the best fuel mix to meet America’s energy demands, but we can all agree that using less is more."
