Markey: Obama Appliance Updates Will Save Money, Cut Pollution
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Chairman Edward J. Markey, 202-225-4012
Markey: Obama Appliance Updates Will Save Money, Cut Pollution
Markey, Author of Original Appliance Standard Legislation, Says Move is Long-Overdue After Years of Delay by Bush Administration
WASHINGTON (February 5, 2009) – Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), who chairs key energy panels in the House and is the author of the original legislation to require appliance efficiency standards, hailed today’s move by President Barack Obama to immediately update energy efficiency standards for dozens of appliances. Yesterday Rep. Markey introduced legislation that would set a national energy efficiency standard, which would include updates to appliance efficiency to meet the national efficiency goal.
“From ovens to lamps to dishwashers, President Obama is ensuring that the appliances we buy will be better for our pocketbook, for our environment, and for our economy,” said Rep. Markey, who chairs the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and the Energy and Environment Subcommittee in the Energy and Commerce Committee. “Updating appliance efficiency is a common sense move that allows consumers to save real dollars and cents.”
Rep. Markey was the author of the first act to set mandatory standards for appliances, the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, which passed in 1987. After the Bush administration missed dozens of deadlines to update appliance efficiency, Rep. Markey succeeded in putting an amendment in the 2005 energy bill that required the Department of Energy to report to Congress every six months on appliance standards that were behind schedule and on its plans for eliminating the backlog. A General Accounting Office report requested by Rep. Markey and released in early 2007 found that the Bush administration had missed 34 straight deadlines for updating appliance efficiency.
“We all want to buy the best appliances and gadgets for our homes and businesses, and finally we have a president who understands that energy efficiency is good energy and consumer policy,” said Rep. Markey. “Updating appliance efficiency, which hardly ever happened under the previous Bush administration, will save consumers money, encourage the use of better technology, and reduce pollution.”
“I have fought for better, more efficient appliances for more than 20 years” continued Rep. Markey. “It is refreshing to have a president who shares my faith in the power of energy efficiency.”
Please CLICK HERE for more information on Rep. Markey’s Save American Energy Act.
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The Select Committee was active during the 110th and 111th Congresses. This is an archived version of the website, to ensure that the public has ongoing access to the Select Committee record. This website, including external links, will not be updated after Jan. 3rd, 2010.
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