May 14, 2012

National Association of Manufacturers Support Shaheen-Portman Energy Efficiency Legislation

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the largest industrial trade association in the U.S., representing over 13,000 small, medium and large manufacturers, is supporting the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (S. 1000), authored by U.S. Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and  Rob Portman (R-OH). The Shaheen-Portman bill would establish a national energy efficiency strategy to increase the use of existing energy efficiency technologies in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors of our economy.

“S. 1000 is incentive-based, mandate-free legislation that enjoys broad support in the Senate and in the business community,” said Ross Eisenberg, NAM’s Vice President, Energy and Resources Policy in a letter to Shaheen and Portman. “This bipartisan legislation would positively impact manufacturing and construction jobs and increase the energy security of the United States by reducing overall energy consumption and I am hopeful it will soon be considered by the full Senate.”

“Technologies produced by U.S. companies that reduce energy consumption are readily available today, and S. 1000 reduces barriers to their implementation,” he added.

Introduced last May, the legislation has garnered national support from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and nearly 150 businesses, trade associations, and efficiency advocates. 

Last July, S. 1000 passed the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with strong bipartisan support by a vote of 18 to 3.  Representatives Charles Bass (R-New Hampshire) and Jim Matheson (D-Utah) recently introduced similar legislation, the Smart Energy Act, in the House of Representatives.