The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Mitch McConnell
Republican Leader
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Majority Leader Reid and Republican Leader McConnell:
We the undersigned, representing hundreds of thousands of U.S. jobs, write to request that The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act of 2014 (S. 2262) be considered by the full Senate as soon as possible.
This sensible, bipartisan legislation enjoys broad support in the business community. The bill’s sponsors have worked with industry every step of the way in crafting and vetting this legislation. The reintroduced bill has generated even greater consensus among a growing stakeholder coalition that covers diverse economic sectors and environmental organizations. The enhancements have only strengthened – and broadened – the support of the U.S. business community, while multiplying the energy security and environmental benefits that will accrue from this landmark energy efficiency legislation.
Energy efficiency enjoys broad, bipartisan support as a recent study commissioned by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association and the National Association of Manufacturers demonstrated. Nine in ten of those polled support using energy efficient products and believe it is important to include energy efficiency as part of our country’s energy solutions. 74 percent of those polled support investing taxpayers’ dollars on energy efficient technologies, innovations and programs if it would save consumers more money. Finally, 69 percent of those polled are more likely to support investing taxpayers’ dollars on energy efficiency if those investments will not raise taxes or add to the federal deficit and do not involve government mandates on consumers.
S. 2262 places no new mandates on U.S. businesses or consumers. All new authorizations are fully offset. Provisions in this legislation will promote energy savings in commercial buildings and industrial facilities, which together consume nearly 50 percent of the nation’s primary energy. The bill will also reduce energy costs within the federal government, our nation’s largest energy consumer, saving taxpayers money.
S. 2262 will also boosts the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturers and real estate by creating jobs in the manufacturing, contracting, construction, installation, distribution, design, and service sectors.
For these reasons, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources roundly endorsed the legislation with a strong bipartisan vote of 19-3. The legislation continues to gain additional cosponsors with Sens. Landrieu, Coons, Warner, Franken, Manchin, Collins, Ayotte, Wicker, Hoeven, Isakson, Murkowski and Bennett. The House recently passed several provisions contained in S.2262 by a vote of 375-36, another strong showing of support for energy efficiency.
Now is the time to act on this important legislation and we ask that S. 2262 be brought to the Senate floor as soon as possible.
A.O. Smith
ABB
ABM
Acuity Brands Lighting
Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc.
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute
Alliance for Industrial Efficiency
American Chemistry Council
American Foundry Society
American Gas Association
American Lighting Association
American Public Gas Association
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
Atlas Roofing Corporation
Baldor Electric Company
BASF
Bayer Corporation, Bayer MaterialScience LLC
Bosch
Business Council for Sustainable Energy
Business for Innovative Climate & Energy Policy
Business Roundtable
Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing
Combined Heat & Power Association
Consolidated Edison Solutions, Inc
Council of Industrial Boiler Owners
CREE
Danfoss
Digital Energy & Sustainability Solutions Campaign
DuPont
Eaton
Edison Electric Institute
Energi, Inc.
EYE Lighting
Federal Pacific Company
Federal Performance Contracting Coalition
Firestone Building Products Company
Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association
GAF
General Aluminum Manufacturing Company
General Electric Power Conversion
Geothermal Exchange Organization
Guttenberg Industries, Inc.
Hammond Power Solutions Inc.
Honeywell
Hubbell Incorporated
Hunter Panels
Information Technology Industry Council
Ingersoll Rand
International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials
International Union of Painters & Allied Trades
Johns Manville
Johnson Controls, Inc.
Legrand
Lennox International, Inc.
Leviton
LumenOptix
Lutron
Magnaray
Masco Corporation
Mirus International
NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association
Nalco, (an Ecolab Company)
National Association for State Community Services Programs
National Association of Electrical Distributors
National Association of Energy Service Companies
National Association of Manufacturers
National Electrical Manufacturers Association
National Fluid Power Association
National Grid
National Ground Water Association
National Rural Electric Cooperative Association
National Small Business Association
New England Council
Nidec
Northwest Energy Efficiency Council
Ohio Chemistry Technology Council
Owens Corning
Panduit
Philips
Plumbing Manufacturers International
Polyisocyanurate Insulation Manufacturers Association
Powersmiths International Corp.
Regal-Beloit Corporation
Rheem Manufacturing Company
Rmax
Saint-Gobain
Schneider Electric
Siemens
Smiths Group
TerraLUX
The Real Estate Roundtable
The Stella Group, Ltd
Thomas & Betts
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
United Technologies Corporation
Universal Lighting Technologies
VanTran Industries, Inc.
Vermont Energy Investment Corporation
WEG Electric Corp
Window and Door Manufacturers Association