Download Locations

• U.S. Department of State

Summary

This report reviews the status of energy efficiency and renewable energy legislation introduced during the 110th Congress. Most action in the second session has focused on provisions in the economic stimulus bill and the Farm Bill. Most action in the first session focused on the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140, H.R. 6). Additional action was focused on funding-related bills for energy efficiency and renewable energy, especially H.R. 2641, the Energy and Water Appropriations bill for FY2008, which was subsumed by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-161, H.R. 2764). DOE's FY2009 budget request seeks $1,256.1 million for DOE's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) programs. P.L. 110-161 included $1,722.4 million for EERE. This report briefly describes EERE funding. Both the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419/S. 2302) contain provisions that extend and/or expand upon energy efficiency and renewable energy provisions of the Farm Security Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171). The Senate-passed farm bill contains tax provisions for renewable energy. There are several provisions for the production, blending, and use of biofuels (ethanol, biodiesel, renewable diesel). Also, there are investment incentives for infrastructure (fueling stations) and for the development of production facilities. S.Amdt. 3983 would have added extensions of eight tax energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives to the Senate version of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (H.R. 5140). However, S.Amdt. 3983 failed on a cloture vote. The Energy Independence Act (P.L. 110-140) consists mainly of provisions designed to increase energy efficiency and the availability of renewable energy. The key provisions of the law are an increase of the combined corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards to 35 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2020, an increase of the renewable fuel standard (RFS) to 36 billion gallons by 2022, and several new appliance efficiency standards. Tax provisions and a renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS) adopted in the House version of H.R. 6 were not enacted into law. More than 310 bills on energy efficiency and renewable energy have been introduced. About one-third of these bills are focused on renewable fuels and about one-third would provide a tax incentive for investment, energy production, fuel use, or fuel reduction. For each bill listed in this report, a brief description and a summary of action are given, including references to committee hearings and reports. Also, a selected list of congressional hearings, CRS reports, and Government Accountability Office (GAO) documents on energy efficiency and renewable energy are included. This report will be updated periodically.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.6
• H.R.2641
• H.R.2764
• H.R.2419
• S.2302
• H.R.5140

XML