As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on May 8, 2013
S. 761 would authorize appropriations to support a variety of activities aimed at promoting energy efficiency in certain sectors of the economy. To offset a portion of the new discretionary spending authorized under the bill, S. 761 would reduce amounts authorized to be appropriated for an existing program aimed at promoting energy-efficient commercial buildings. Assuming appropriation actions consistent with the bill, CBO estimates that implementing S. 761 would have a net discretionary cost of $210 million over the 2014-2018 period.
In addition, S. 761 would expand federal agencies’ authority to enter into certain long-term contracts to acquire certain types of vehicles and related infrastructure. CBO estimates that enacting the proposed expansion would increase direct spending by $350 million over the 2014-2023 period. Because the bill would affect direct spending, pay-as-you-go procedures apply. Enacting S. 761 would not affect revenues.
S. 761 would impose an intergovernmental mandate, as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA), by requiring states and tribal governments to certify to the Department of Energy (DOE) whether or not they have updated residential and commercial building codes to meet standards developed by building efficiency organizations. CBO estimates that the cost of that mandate would fall well below the annual threshold established in UMRA ($75 million in 2013, adjusted annually for inflation).
S. 761 would impose no private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA.
