What This Bill Does
This bill requires the federal government to send money and information to states and tribes quickly under two energy programs. The bill aims to support state and local efforts to improve energy efficiency and develop renewable energy sources.
Who It Affects
States, Indian Tribes, and other direct recipients of assistance under the Weatherization Assistance Program and the State Energy Program.
Key Provisions
- The Secretary must distribute funds to states, tribes or other direct recipients "as quickly as practicable" after receiving a weatherization assistance plan. (Sec. 2(a))
- Within 60 days of making funds available for weatherization assistance, the Secretary must release application guidance and publish how much money each state, tribe and other direct recipient will receive. (Sec. 2(a))
- The Secretary must distribute funds to a state "as quickly as practicable" after receiving a state energy conservation plan. (Sec. 2(b))
- Within 60 days of making funds available for state energy program assistance, the Secretary must release application guidance and publish how much money each state will receive. (Sec. 2(b))
What Changes
The bill adds specific timing requirements to existing energy programs. Federal agencies must now release guidance and payment information within 60 days and distribute funds quickly instead of on their previous timeline.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 94
To require certain information and financial assistance under the State energy
program and the Weatherization Assistance Program to be distributed
without undue delay to support State and local high-impact energy effi-
ciency and renewable energy initiatives, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
JANUARY 26, 2023
Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. COONS, and Mr. REED) intro-
duced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com-
mittee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To require certain information and financial assistance under
the State energy program and the Weatherization Assist-
ance Program to be distributed without undue delay
to support State and local high-impact energy efficiency
and renewable energy initiatives, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Investing in State En-
4
ergy Act of 2023’’.
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•S 94 IS
SEC. 2. TIMING FOR DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN INFORMA-
1
TION AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER
2
THE
WEATHERIZATION
ASSISTANCE
PRO-
3
GRAM AND THE STATE ENERGY PROGRAM.
4
(a) TIMING FOR DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN INFOR-
5
MATION
AND
FINANCIAL
ASSISTANCE
UNDER
THE
6
WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—Section 417
7
of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42
8
U.S.C. 6867) is amended—
9
(1) in subsection (d), by striking the subsection
10
designation and all that follows through ‘‘Payments’’
11
and inserting the following:
12
‘‘(d) METHOD AND TIMING OF PAYMENTS.—
13
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Payments’’; and
14
(2) by adding at the end the following:
15
‘‘(2) TIMING.—On receipt of a plan adopted
16
pursuant to section 415(b), the Secretary shall dis-
17
tribute funds to the State, Indian Tribe, or other di-
18
rect recipient to which the plan applies as quickly as
19
practicable.
20
‘‘(e) DISTRIBUTION
OF INFORMATION.—Not later
21
than 60 days after the date on which funds have been
22
made available to provide assistance under this part, the
23
Secretary shall—
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•S 94 IS
‘‘(1) release application guidance to States, In-
1
dian Tribes, and other direct recipients of assistance
2
under this part; and
3
‘‘(2) publish the allocation of assistance to be
4
provided to States, Indian Tribes, and other direct
5
recipients of assistance under this part in accord-
6
ance with the applicable distribution formula for the
7
fiscal year.’’.
8
(b) TIMING FOR DISTRIBUTION OF CERTAIN INFOR-
9
MATION AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE UNDER THE STATE
10
ENERGY PROGRAM.—Section 363 of the Energy Policy
11
and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6323) is amended by
12
adding at the end the following:
13
‘‘(f) DISTRIBUTION
OF INFORMATION.—Not later
14
than 60 days after the date on which funds have been
15
made available to provide financial assistance under this
16
section, the Secretary shall—
17
‘‘(1) release application guidance for financial
18
assistance for energy conservation plans under this
19
section; and
20
‘‘(2) publish the allocation of assistance to be
21
provided to States under this section in accordance
22
with the applicable distribution formula for the fiscal
23
year, including pursuant to subsection (b).
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•S 94 IS
‘‘(g) TIMING OF PAYMENTS.—On receipt of a State
1
energy conservation plan submitted under section 362, the
2
Secretary shall distribute funds to a State as quickly as
3
practicable.’’.
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Æ
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