Homeowner, Tenant, and Small Business Energy Conservation Loan Program
Latest action. Referred to House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs.
Homeowner, Tenant, and Small Business Energy Conservation Loan Program - Establishes the Energy Conservation Bank in the Department of Energy. Authorizes the Bank to make financial assistance in the form of payments to financial institutions to: (1) reduce the principal on loans made for the purpose of financing the purchase and installation of solar energy systems and energy conserving improvements in residential and small business buildings and financing solar energy programs undertaken by nonprofit groups; and (2) prepay interest otherwise due on such loans. Directs the President of the Bank to establish various levels of financial assistance to be made under such assistance program and sets forth criteria to be considered in determining assistance levels. Sets forth limitations on the amount of assistance, together with the likely value of any Federal and State solar energy or conservation tax credit, which may be made under this Act, depending on the type of building for which such assistance is to be made. Establishes criteria for the types of loans for which financial assistance may be made under this Act. Directs the Bank to promote the program established by this Act by informing financial institutions, builders, home improvements contractors, realtors, and consumers of the benefits of such program and by seeking their participation in such program. Directs the Bank to: (1) coordinate and disseminate practical information developed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding solar technology and energy conserving improvements in new and existing construction; (2) seek the advice and assistance of specified Federal mortgaging corporations and associations in coordinating Energy Conservation Bank programs with secondary market programs of such institutions; (3) develop and make available to appraisers solar energy system and energy conservation appraisal techniques and resale data; (4) provide technical assistance to nonprofit, low-income groups and local governments considering solar energy and energy conservation strategies; and (5) provide such other assistance as necessary to promote the use of solar energy and energy conservation improvements. Requires the preparation of annual reports to be submitted to the Congress and to the President on the Bank's activities. Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to permit the Bank to use Department personnel in its operations. Establishes criminal penalties for making false statements or misrepresentations in connection with any loan assisted under this Act. Authorizes the Bank to make commitments to purchase and to deal in loans and advances of credit made for the purpose of financing the purchase and installation of energy conserving improvements or qualified solar energy systems in residential and small business buildings. Limits the total amount of outstanding purchases and commitments to purchase such loans which the Bank may make. Describes the types of loans and advances of credit which the Bank may purchase and limits the amount of any particular loan which may be purchased to $15,000. Authorizes the Bank to make commitments to purchase, to purchase, and to deal in mortgages and similar instruments secured by newly constructed one- to four-family dwelling units with qualified solar energy systems and energy conserving improvements meeting or exceeding specified Federal standards. Limits the total amount of outstanding purchases and commitments to purchase such mortgages which the Bank may make. Describes the types of mortgages which the Bank may purchase. Authorizes the Bank to issue obligations to carry out its functions relating to the purchase and commitment to purchase loans, advances of credit, mortgages, and other instruments. Exempts the Bank from specified State and local laws.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on February 13, 1980. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on February 13, 1980: Referred to House Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 96th Congress (1979-80), 613 of the 12,581 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 4.9 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
ELIZABETH HOLTZMAN (D-NY) introduced it on February 13, 1980. No cosponsors are recorded.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on February 13, 1980, 17058 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17058 days ago, on February 13, 1980.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 96th Congress has not finished by January 3, 1981 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers