Residential Energy Efficiency Program of 1979
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Residential Energy Efficiency Program of 1979 - Amends the State residential energy conservation plan provisions of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act to authorize the Secretary of Energy to institute an alternative home energy efficiency program in any State, political subdivision, utility service area, or geographical area thereof. Exempts persons subject to such program from the requirements and prohibitions contained in the utility program established under such Act. Sets forth requirements for such alternative home energy efficiency program, including: (1) a requirement that the Secretary designate a Federal, State, or local agency to negotiate a contract with an energy conservation company to undertake a home energy retrofit program in a specified geographic area for a specified per unit price to be paid by such agency; (2) a requirement that such energy conservation company comply with specified criteria concerning such home energy retrofit program; and (3) a requirement that the designated agency establish accurate normalized measurements of energy use by type of energy before and after the installation of such retrofit measures to determine the saving produced by such energy conservation company. Directs the Secretary to provide funds to designated agencies to pay energy conservation companies for energy actually saved. Requires public utilities to make periodic payments to the Secretary not to exceed the value of the savings in a given year realized by such utilities as a result of the energy actually saved. Authorizes such utilities to sell any energy available to it as a result of a home energy retrofit program to willing nonresidential buyers. Authorizes the Secretary to issue notes or other obligations in order to finance such energy retrofit programs in the event the moneys received from public utilities under this Act are insufficient to finance such programs. Places limitations on the Secretary's authority to enter into such contracts depending on the amount of payments received from public utilities pursuant to this Act. Requires the Secretary, prior to instituting any program authorized by this Act, to provide for public comment. Expands the definition of "residential buildings" for the purposes of this Act to include buildings having more than four dwelling units.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in Senate" stage on September 24, 1979. 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 September 24, 1979: Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the Senate
- Passage by the House
- 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?
WILLIAM BRADLEY (D-NJ) introduced it on September 24, 1979, and 16 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 7 Democrats, 9 Republicans.
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 September 24, 1979, 17153 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17153 days ago, on September 24, 1979.
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
- SenateIn committee, no floor vote yet
- HouseAwaits Senate passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers