Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2022
This bill updates provisions related to weatherization assistance provided by the Department of Energy, including by increasing certain assistance amounts and establishing a weatherization readiness program to provide grants to make dwelling units occupied by low-income persons ready to receive weatherization measures.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7947 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 7947
To amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to direct the
Secretary of Energy to establish a weatherization readiness program,
and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 3, 2022
Mr. Tonko (for himself, Mr. Rush, and Ms. Kaptur) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to direct the
Secretary of Energy to establish a weatherization readiness program,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Weatherization Enhancement and
Readiness Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. WEATHERIZATION.
(a) Enhancement and Innovation.--Section 414D of the Energy
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6864d) is amended by
striking subsection (k).
(b) Average Cost Per Dwelling Unit.--Section 415(c)(1) of the
Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6865(c)(1)) is
amended by striking ``$6,500'' and inserting ``$12,000''.
(c) Clarification of Reweatherization Limitation.--Section
415(c)(2) of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C.
6865(c)(2)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``, or under other Federal programs'';
(2) by striking ``, may'' and inserting ``may''; and
(3) by striking ``or under other Federal programs, or from
receiving non-Federal assistance for weatherization''.
(d) Renewable Energy Systems.--Section 415(c) of the Energy
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6865(c)) is amended by
striking paragraph (4).
(e) Weatherization Readiness Program.--
(1) In general.--The Energy Conservation and Production Act
is amended by adding after section 414E (42 U.S.C. 6864e) the
following section:
``SEC. 414F. WEATHERIZATION READINESS PROGRAM.
``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a
weatherization readiness program to provide grants to States and tribal
organizations to implement measures to make dwelling units occupied by
low-income persons ready to receive weatherization measures pursuant to
the weatherization program conducted under this part by addressing
structural, plumbing, roofing, and electrical issues and environmental
hazards, and implementing other measures that the Secretary determines
to be appropriate, to reduce the frequency of deferrals of such
weatherization measures when the condition of a dwelling unit renders
delivery of weatherization measures unsafe or ineffective.
``(b) Alignment of Requirements.--Except as otherwise provided in
this section, to the extent possible, the Secretary shall, in
establishing the weatherization readiness program under this section--
``(1) align the requirements of such weatherization
readiness program with the requirements of the weatherization
program conducted under this part; and
``(2) seek to reduce barriers to leveraging other sources
of funding for weatherization readiness measures.
``(c) Savings-to-Investment Ratio.--The weatherization readiness
program established under this section shall not include a savings-to-
investment ratio requirement.
``(d) Previous Weatherization.--Weatherization readiness measures
implemented pursuant to the weatherization readiness program
established under this section shall not be considered previous
weatherization for purposes of section 415(c)(2).
``(e) Average Cost Per Dwelling Unit.--The Secretary may establish,
or require a State grantee to establish, a limit for expenditures for
weatherization readiness measures, including labor, materials, and
related matters, to be implemented with respect to a dwelling unit, on
an average cost per unit basis, pursuant to the weatherization
readiness program established under this section.
``(f) Allocation of Funds.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall allocate funding
made available under this section to States and tribal
organizations in a manner consistent with the allocation of
financial assistance for weatherization assistance under the
weatherization program conducted under this part.
``(2) Updated allocation.--Not sooner than October 1, 2026,
the Secretary, in consultation with States and tribal
organizations, may, by rule, update the method to allocate
funding to States and tribal organizations under this section
to more accurately reflect the relative need for funding for
weatherization readiness measures among low-income persons
throughout the States and Indian tribes.
``(g) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than an amount equal to 15
percent of any grant made by the Secretary under this section may be
used for administrative purposes, except that not more than one-half of
such amount may be used by any State for such purposes.
``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be
appropriated $90,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to
carry out this section.''.
(2) Table of contents amendment.--The table of contents for
the Energy Conservation and Production Act is amended by adding
after the item relating to section 414E the following:
``Sec. 414F. Weatherization readiness program.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
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