49–006 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 109–538 

ENERGY EFFICIENT COMPUTER SERVERS 

JUNE 28, 2006.—Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of 

the Union and ordered to be printed 

Mr. BARTON of Texas, from the Committee on Energy and 

Commerce, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H.R. 5646] 

[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office] 

The Committee on Energy and Commerce, to whom was referred 

the bill (H.R. 5646) to study and promote the use of energy efficient 

computer servers in the United States, having considered the same, 

report favorably thereon without amendment and recommend that 

the bill do pass. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Purpose and Summary ............................................................................................ 1 

Background and Need for Legislation .................................................................... 2 

Hearings ................................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Consideration ........................................................................................ 2 

Committee Votes ...................................................................................................... 2 

Committee Oversight Findings ............................................................................... 2 

Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives .................................... 2 

New Budget Authority, Entitlement Authority, and Tax Expenditures ............. 2 

Committee Cost Estimate ....................................................................................... 2 

Congressional Budget Office Estimate ................................................................... 3 

Federal Mandates Statement ................................................................................. 3 

Advisory Committee Statement .............................................................................. 3 

Constitutional Authority Statement ...................................................................... 4 

Applicability to Legislative Branch ........................................................................ 4 

Section-by-Section Analysis of the Legislation ...................................................... 4 

Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported ..................................... 4 

PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

The purpose of H.R. 5646 is to study and promote the use of energy efficient computer servers in the United States. 


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BACKGROUND AND NEED FOR LEGISLATION

Computer data center growth results in increased electrical demand. Energy efficiency at computer data centers can reduce electricity costs and reduce the rate of growth of electricity usage at 

computer data centers. H.R. 5646 provides for a study of this electricity usage. 

HEARINGS

The Committee on Energy and Commerce has not held hearings 

on the legislation. 

COMMITTEE CONSIDERATION

On Tuesday, June 20, 2006, the Committee on Energy and Commerce met in open markup session and ordered a Committee Print, 

to study and promote the use of energy efficient computer servers 

in the United States, reported to the House, without amendment, 

by a voice vote, a quorum being present. A request by Mr. Barton 

to allow a report to be filed on a bill to be introduced by Mr. Rogers, and that the actions of the Committee be deemed as actions 

on that bill, was agreed to by unanimous consent. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

Clause 3(b) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives requires the Committee to list the record votes on the motion 

to report legislation and amendments thereto. There were no 

record votes taken in connection with ordering the Committee Print 

reported. A motion by Mr. Barton to order the Committee Print reported to the House, without amendment, was agreed to by a voice 

vote. 

COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee has not held oversight or legislative hearings on this legislation. 

STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The goal of H.R. 5646 is to study and promote energy efficient 

data centers and computer servers. 

NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY, ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY, AND TAX

EXPENDITURES

In compliance with clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee finds that H.R. 5646, to 

study and promote the use of energy efficient computer servers in 

the United States, would result in no new or increased budget authority, entitlement authority, or tax expenditures or revenues. 

COMMITTEE COST ESTIMATE

The Committee adopts as its own the cost estimate prepared by 

the Director of the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 

402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. 


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CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATE

Pursuant to clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the following is the cost estimate provided by 

the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to section 402 of the 

Congressional Budget Act of 1974: 

JUNE 22, 2006. 

Hon. JOE BARTON, Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, 

House of Representatives, Washington, DC. 

DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Congressional Budget Office has prepared the enclosed cost estimate for H.R. 5646, a bill to study and 

promote the use of energy efficient computer servers in the United 

States. 

If you wish further details on this estimate, we will be pleased 

to provide them. The CBO staff contact is Susanne S. Mehlman. 

Sincerely, 

DONALD B. MARRON, 

Acting Director. 

Enclosure. 

H.R. 5646—A bill to study and promote the use of energy efficient 

computer servers in the United States 

H.R. 5646 would require the Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) to conduct a study of energy consumption at computer centers operated by the federal government and private entities. The 

study would include a review and analysis of cost saving measures 

and recommendations for adopting energy efficient computer centers. This legislation also would require EPA to produce this study 

no later than 90 days after enactment of the bill. 

Based on information from EPA, CBO estimates that implementing the bill would cost less than $500,000 in fiscal year 2007, 

assuming the availability of appropriated funds. Potential savings 

that might result from implementing any recommendations from 

the EPA study would depend on the results of that study and on 

subsequent appropriation action consistent with such recommendations. Enacting this legislation would not affect direct spending or 

receipts. 

H.R. 5646 contains no intergovernmental or private-sector mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act and would 

not affect the budgets of state, local, or tribal governments. 

The CBO staff contact for this estimate is Susanne S. Mehlman. 

This estimate was approved by Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

FEDERAL MANDATES STATEMENT

The Committee adopts as its own the estimate of Federal mandates prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 

pursuant to section 423 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act. 

ADVISORY COMMITTEE STATEMENT

No advisory committees within the meaning of section 5(b) of the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act were created by this legislation. 


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CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY STATEMENT

Pursuant to clause 3(d)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee finds that the Constitutional authority for this legislation is provided in Article I, section 8, clause 

3, which grants Congress the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations, among the several States, and with the Indian tribes. 

APPLICABILITY TO LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

The Committee finds that the legislation does not relate to the 

terms and conditions of employment or access to public services or 

accommodations within the meaning of section 102(b)(3) of the Congressional Accountability Act. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS OF THE LEGISLATION

Section 1. Study 

Section 1 requires the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 

through the Energy Star program, to submit to Congress within 90 

days a study analyzing the growth and energy consumption of data 

centers. Specifically, the study should include items such as growth 

trends associated with data centers, analysis of industry usage of 

energy efficient microchips, potential cost savings associated with 

the use of energy efficient data centers and servers, potential cost 

savings to the energy supply chain associated with energy efficient 

data centers and servers and their impact on the electric grid, overview of current government incentives, and recommendations for 

incentives and voluntary programs to encourage use of energy efficient data centers and computing. 

Section 2. Sense of Congress 

Section 2 is a sense of Congress that states it is in the best interest of the United States for purchasers of computer servers to give 

a high priority to energy efficiency. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED

This legislation does not amend any existing Federal statute. 

Æ 


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