POLITICO: DEMS DEFEND ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Four dozen Democratic lawmakers are warning House and Senate appropriators in a letter this

morning against the cuts and prohibitions for energy efficiency proposed by House Republicans.

Lawmakers must reach a deal to fund the Energy Department by Jan. 19 to avert a shutdown,

though talks about another short-term extension are picking up.

The 49 lawmakers led by Reps. Doris Matsui (D-Calif.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and

Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) wrote in opposition to provisions in House Republicans’ EnergyWater appropriations bill, H.R. 4394 (118), that would cut funding for DOE’s energy efficiency office by $466 million and prohibit it from issuing new standards on a range of appliances, including gas stoves, distribution transformers and air conditioners.

“If Congress reversed or halted energy conservation standards, Americans would lose money,

our energy and national security would suffer, and more pollution would warm our climate and

harm public health,” the lawmakers wrote.

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