Omnibus Solar Commercialization Act of 1979
Latest action. Referred to Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Omnibus Solar Commercialization Act of 1979 - Title I: Renewable Energy Initiatives - Establishes a national goal for the increased use of renewable energy resources as a part of the Nation's total energy supply in the year 2000. States that it shall be the policy of the Secretary of Energy to utilize State and local government organizations, Energy Extension Services, regional Solar Energy Research Centers, and other such entities in providing information services, training, education and other services to the public and to persons involved in the development and commercialization of solar energy systems. Directs the Secretary to establish a Solar Energy and Conservation Information Center to provide information services to the public and to the entities listed above, including: (1) retrieval and dissemination of solar energy development and commercialization materials; (2) development of materials specifically designed to assist architects, builders, installers, manufacturers and others involved in solar energy development and commercialization; and (3) development of training and education programs specifically designed for such purposes. Directs Federal agency heads responsible for construction of new civilian Federal buildings to require the utilization of active and passive solar energy systems unless it is determined that such systems are not cost effective, according to a specified formula. Directs the head of each Federal agency operating a fueling station for civilian gasoline motor vehicles to require that such stations only dispense a ten percent alcohol and gasoline mixture. Authorizes the Administrators of the Alaska Power Administration, the Southeastern Power Administration, the Southwestern Power Administration, and the Western Area Power Administration to purchase power from proposed non-federally constructed generating facilities utilizing renewable energy resources. Authorizes such Administrators to construct and operate non-hydroelectric generating facilities, provided that the Administrator has made a public offer to purchase or guarantee the purchase of power from a comparable non-federally constructed facility and has received no offer from a non-federal entity to construct such a facility. Authorizes those Administrators to renegotiate existing power sales to customers who undertake energy conservation programs. Directs the Secretary to establish programs: (1) to promote the development and utilization of synergistic combinations of different renewable energy resources; (2) to initiate energy self-sufficiency at appropriate levels of government to accelerate the development of such resources; and (3) of Federal assistance to stimulate private industry participation in energy self-sufficiency initiatives. Establishes an Office of Energy Self-Sufficiency to undertake such programs. Directs the Secretary to prepare a plan setting forth the responsibilities of such Office. Title II: Wind Energy Initiatives - Establishes program objectives for the development and commercialization of wind energy. Directs the Secretary to establish programs designed to promote research, development, demonstration, field experimentation, and commercialization of wind energy systems by means of Federal financial assistance, subsidies, and contract awards. Establishes criteria for program selection under this title. Directs the Secretary to monitor the performance and operation of wind energy systems installed under this title and to collect and evaluate data derived therefrom, as well as to conduct studies and take such other actions to assure the effectiveness of such programs. Directs the Secretary to conduct a Federal Applications Study for Wind Energy Systems in cooperation with appropriate Federal agencies to determine potential uses of wind power in Federal facilities and to identify potential sites for such systems at specified agencies. Directs the Secretary to conduct other specified studies and analyses related to wind energy. Establishes a wind energy utilization program for the accelerated procurement and installation of wind energy systems in Federal facilities. Establishes an advisory committee to assist the Secretary in performing his duties relating to the wind energy program.
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 28, 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 28, 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?
JOHN DURKIN (D-NH) introduced it on September 28, 1979, and 7 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They come from both major parties: 5 Democrats, 2 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 28, 1979, 17149 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 17149 days ago, on September 28, 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