Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 210 to 199 to repeal a landmark federal program that improves people’s homes and lowers their energy bills. Slightly more than half of the representatives who participated in the vote chose to take away a key tool for families and households to take charge of their energy bills through energy-efficient home improvements.
The bill passed by the House was H.R. 4758, a concise bill (see screenshot of bill text below) that simply repeals and defunds three federal programs:
- The Federal High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program
- The federal program providing energy efficiency training for contractors
- The federal program that provides assistance to state governments wishing to update building energy code standards
The High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program, also known as the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) program, provides rebates to low- and middle-income households to choose high-efficiency electric HVAC, water heaters, appliances, and other energy efficiency options instead of less-efficient alternatives. Each state government has been allocated money from the program to run a state-level rebate program, making funds available to thousands of households in every state. The State of Florida was allocated $173 million, Georgia $109 million, South Carolina $68 million, North Carolina $104 million, and Tennessee $83 million, ensuring tens of thousands of Southeast households will directly benefit from the program with safer and more comfortable homes and lower utility bills. Of the Southeast states, Georgia and North Carolina have already launched HEAR programs, while the other states are planning to launch programs but have been held up by the U.S. Department of Energy’s new leadership slow walking them. These programs in NC and GA may also be on the chopping block if this legislation becomes law.
Of the homes that the states of Georgia and North Carolina have already been able to help with this program, residents’ energy bills have been lowered by more than $1,300 per year.
With so many households struggling to pay utility bills, it is amazing that the majority of the House would vote to rip this money out of households’ hands and keep their energy bills higher.
The bill would not become law until the Senate also passes it and it is signed by the president, so the Georgia and North Carolina programs remain intact and funded, and residents and contractors who are interested in learning more about the programs can read more here.
Look below to see how your representative voted, and then contact them with the customizable form here to let them know how you feel about their vote.
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