Industry Voices

On Thursday, August 5, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will mark up a number of energy bills. Included in the mark up is the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act (S. 1320) sponsored by Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT). Assistance is needed from MHI members to ensure the committee favorably reports the measure.

ACTION NEEDED:

MHI members with Senators serving on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee are urged to personally contact their offices and ask them to vote in favor of S. 1320. A list of the Energy Committee members is below. In addition, Senators should be urged to contact both Democratic and Republican Senate leaders to request the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act be included as part of any energy legislation or job creation measure the chamber may be developing. Contact Rae Ann Bevington at 703-558-0675 or RBevington@mfghome.org for additional information.

BACKGROUND:

In March 2009, Rep. Baron Hill (D-IN) introduced the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act (H.R. 1749). Companion legislation (S. 1320) was introduced in the Senate by Senator Jon Tester (D-MT) on June 22, 2009.

On May 6, 2010, the House of Representatives adopted a broad-scale home energy retrofit bill (Home Star Energy Retrofit Act of 2010; HR 5019), which includes amended provisions from the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act. The legislation was referred to the Energy & Natural Resources Committee for consideration.

Both bills authorize the Department of Energy (DOE) to make grants to states to provide owners of manufactured homes constructed prior to 1976 with a one-time only rebate of up to $7,500 to use towards the purchase of a new Energy Star qualified manufactured home. To cover the additional cost of removing and recycling the old home an additional grant of up to $2,500 to be provided upon proof of decommissioning. To be eligible, home owners could not have a total household income in excess of 200 percent of an area’s poverty level. The legislation permits replacement of substandard mobile homes with ENERGY STAR homes as an eligible use of up to $6,500 of the American Recovery and Renewal Act Weatherization Assistance Program funds. Current law forbids weatherization funds from being used for replacement.

KEY TALKING POINTS:

Members of Congress are asked to endorse the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act (H.R. 1749 & S. 1320) for the following reasons:

• The program would provide resources for low-income homeowners to purchase new energy efficient homes and help dispose of outdated homes and improve living standards for potentially millions of families
• Households participating in the program could save an average of $1,800 per year in energy costs, which could be used to help offset monthly home expenses and help build equity in a home
• Each new manufactured home constructed creates more than one new American job; the measure could potentially create more than 51,000 high-quality U.S jobs over the next three years and generate more than $8 billion in construction related spending
• The improved efficiency of an Energy Star home would reduce household carbon emissions by nine tons per household per year and a total reduction of 1.4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES

Democrats

Chairman Jeff Bingaman (NM) (202) 224-5521

Byron L. Dorgan (ND) (202) 224-2551

Ron Wyden (OR) (202) 224-5244

Tim Johnson (SD) (202) 224-5842

Mary L. Landrieu (LA) (202) 224-5824

Maria Cantwell (WA) (202) 224-3441

Robert Menendez (NJ) (202) 224-4744

Blanche Lincoln (AR) (202) 224-4843

Bernard Sanders (I) (VT) (202) 224-5141

Evan Bayh (IN) (202) 224-5623

Debbie Stabenow (MI) (202) 224-4822

Mark Udall (CO) (202) 224-5941

Jeanne Shaheen (NH) (202) 224-2841

Republicans

Lisa Murkowski (AK) (202) 224-6665

Richard Burr (NC) (202) 224-3154

John Barrasso (WY) (202) 224-6441

Sam Brownback (KS) (202) 224-6521

James E. Risch (ID) (202) 224-2752

John McCain (AZ) (202) 224-2235

Robert Bennett (UT) (202) 224-5444

Jim Bunning (KY) (202) 224-4343

Jeff Sessions (AL) (202) 224-4124

Bob Corker (TN) (202) 224-3344