Shaheen and Portman optimistic about bipartisan energy bill

Amid a sharply divided Congress, an unlikely bipartisan pair is setting the stage for the first energy bill to reach the Senate floor since 2007.

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) are currently working with Senate leaders on an amendment process for their Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2013. The proposed bill would spur the use of energy efficiency technologies in the residential, commercial and industrial sectors of the national economy as well as foster job growth.

“As you can imagine, there’s a lot of pent-up demand to look at amendments on other energy issues to go in the bill,” Shaheen said at a recent breakfast meeting of the Ripon Society. “So one of the things we are doing is working hard to get some kind of agreement on what amendments people can agree to. We have about a dozen that have bipartisan sponsors that we think are relevant to the bill that we can hopefully get some agreement on.”

Shaheen and Portman specifically designed the bill to impact buildings, manufacturers and the federal government.

The bill would make the code-writing process more transparent for national, state and private building codes. It would also create a Commercial Building Energy Efficiency Financing Initiative in order to kick start private sector investment in building efficiency upgrades.

Manufacturers would be incentivized to use energy efficient electric motors and transformers if the bill were to become law. Additionally, they would partner with Department of Energy officials to research, develop and commercialize energy efficient technology and processes for industrial applications.

The bill would also, among many other provisions, establish a DOE program called SupplySTAR that would help make companies’ supply chains more efficient.

Portman, who lives in a LEED-certified house and drives the only hybrid pickup truck in Ohio, said the legislation would send a signal that energy consumption is as important to America’s future as energy production.

“That’s something I think we really need to focus on as Republicans and as members of the business community,” Portman said at the Ripon event. “We need to talk not just about producing more energy, but about using less. It’s entirely consistent with the conservative tradition of conserving.”

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) are taking an active role in moving the bill through the Senate.

Rep. David McKinley (R-W.Va.) introduced companion legislation in the House in April. It was referred to several committees and awaits consideration.

Shaheen said that both she and Portman think there is a great opportunity for the bill to eventually be signed into law.

“We do need a comprehensive energy policy in the country that not only supports existing sources of energy, but also looks at alternatives and looks at energy efficiency,” Shaheen said at the Ripon event. “So that’s what this bill will really do. It would put in place a comprehensive energy strategy for the country.”