Many sources allege that the 113th Congress (2013-2015) is on pace to be the least productive in history. According to www.govtrack.us, there are 7,829 bills and resolutions currently before the United States Congress and, of those, only about 5 percent will become law.

Despite a lack of confidence in Congress’s ability to get things done, there does still seem to be an appetite for Energy Conservation legislation that could have a positive impact on our industry with more than one billion inefficient windows remaining in place across the U.S.

As of today, there are 192 energy bills at various stages in their quests to become law. Among them, I’ve identified some of the top bills for our industry to watch and consider supporting:

• S.2074 and H.R.1616 – Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act; Check out my recent blog for more detail on this important topic

• H.R.3950 – To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to extend for one year the credit for energy-efficient existing homes

• H.R.4345 –To reauthorize the weatherization and State energy programs, and for other purposes.

• S.717 – To direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a pilot program to award grants to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of retrofitting nonprofit buildings with energy-efficiency improvements

• S.1084 – To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to establish the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy as the lead Federal agency for coordinating Federal, State, and local assistance provided to promote the energy retrofitting of schools

• S.1106 – To improve the accuracy of mortgage underwriting used by Federal mortgage agencies by ensuring that energy costs are included in the underwriting process

• S.1191 & H.R.2126 – Better Buildings Act to facilitate better alignment, cooperation, and best practices between commercial real estate landlords and tenants regarding energy efficiency in buildings, and for other purposes

• S.1199 – To improve energy performance in Federal buildings, and for other purposes

• S.1200 – To amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to promote energy efficiency and energy savings in residential buildings

• S.1205 – To reduce energy waste, strengthen energy system resiliency, increase industrial competitiveness, and promote local economic development by helping public and private entities to assess and implement energy systems that recover and use waste heat and local renewable energy resources

• S.1209 & S.1218 – To establish a State Energy Race to the Top Initiative to assist energy policy innovation in the States to promote the goal of doubling electric and thermal energy productivity by January 1, 2030

• S.2052 – A bill to reauthorize the weatherization and State energy programs, and for other purposes.

• H.R.2128 – To provide for the establishment of a Home Energy Savings Retrofit Rebate Program, and for other purposes

• H.R.2093 & S.484 – To amend the Toxic Substances Control Act relating to lead-based paint renovation and remodeling activities

To follow these Bills and others important to you and your business, visit the Energy Bill page at www.govtrack.us to sign up for daily or weekly updates. The more we become involved as an industry, the more we can help shape our own future.

What legislation are you following on the local, state and federal levels? Leave a comment here, or email me at eric.jackson@quanex.com.