Tax Extenders Act of 2009--Continued

Floor Speech

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Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Thank you, Madam President.

My amendment, cosponsored by Senators SCHUMER, BINGAMAN, and MERKLEY, would authorize a series of new programs designed to encourage energy efficiency in homes. I am offering this amendment--based on S. 1379, the Energy Efficiency in Housing Act--to the job creation bill we are debating today because of the enormous potential of green housing to grow the economy, create jobs, and, of course, save energy.

Clean energy is the next big global industry. According to the U.S. Green Building Council, buildings account for 39 percent of all energy consumption and 38 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. Clearly, the housing sector must be a vital part of our energy efficiency efforts.

Venture capitalists and companies from Google to General Electric have testified before the Senate that this revolution--the clean energy revolution--could be even bigger than the digital revolution. The countries at the forefront of this clean energy revolution will be the economic powerhouses of the next century. Right now, the United States is at risk of falling behind in the race to lead this new economy.

Of the top 10 solar companies in the world, only one is from the United States. Of the top 10 wind power companies in the world, only two are from the United States.

When President Obama met with Senate Democrats a few weeks ago, he told us:

China is not waiting, it is moving. Already the anticipation is that they will lap us when it comes to clean energy.

Well, we can do better than that. We are a country of innovators, a nation that has always sought to be on the cutting edge, always sought the new frontier. All we need is for the Congress to put the right policies in place to promote energy efficiency and encourage the growth of the green economy so our companies can compete head to head with their international competition.

My amendment is endorsed by over 35 groups, including Enterprise Community Partners, the Alliance for Healthy Homes, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. The U.S. Green Building Council has included it in its list of ``Top 10 Pieces of Green Building Legislation in the 111th Congress.''

These groups know that the provisions included in this legislation will boost the green housing sector in a number of different ways.

First, it would jump-start the market for green mortgages by directing HUD to develop incentives for buyers--such as reduced rates and greater lending ability--and by boosting the secondary green mortgage market.

Second, it would establish a revolving loan fund for States to carry out renewable energy activities, such as retrofits and incentives for green construction. It would also encourage the participation of community development organizations in our most hard-hit neighborhoods in the recession by authorizing a grant program that can be used to help those organizations train, educate, and support the workforce for these green energy, clean energy projects.

The final provision I will highlight would provide incentives for public housing entities to achieve substantial improvements in their own energy efficiency. I believe we can maximize energy efficiency savings when we can split the incentives between landlords and tenants. The landlords will take an interest in pursuing the clean energy initiatives because of the savings they can make from the upgrades, and the tenants can participate in the savings through their conservation efforts. It has to be joint to be at its most effective.

As we continue to debate ways to put Americans back to work, I encourage my colleagues to take a serious look at the green housing sector and at my amendment. I think it merits our attention. I hope it will have my colleagues' support on an appropriate bill in the near future--I hope--and I speak on it today to put a spotlight on it so I have that opportunity.

I thank the Chair and thank my colleagues.

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