Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.7947 | Sponsor: Rep. Tonko, Paul (D-NY)
Policy area: Energy

Summary:
Weatherization Enhancement and Readiness Act of 2022
This bill updates provisions related to weatherization assistance provided by the Department of Energy, including by increasing certain assistance amounts and establishing a weatherization readiness program to provide grants to make dwelling units occupied by low-income persons ready to receive weatherization measures.

To amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to direct the 
 Secretary of Energy to establish a weatherization readiness program, 
                        and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Weatherization Enhancement and 
Readiness Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. WEATHERIZATION.

    (a) Enhancement and Innovation.--Section 414D of the Energy 
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6864d) is amended by 
striking subsection (k).
    (b) Average Cost Per Dwelling Unit.--Section 415(c)(1) of the 
Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6865(c)(1)) is 
amended by striking ``$6,500'' and inserting ``$12,000''.
    (c) Clarification of Reweatherization Limitation.--Section 
415(c)(2) of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 
6865(c)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``, or under other Federal programs'';
            (2) by striking ``, may'' and inserting ``may''; and
            (3) by striking ``or under other Federal programs, or from 
        receiving non-Federal assistance for weatherization''.
    (d) Renewable Energy Systems.--Section 415(c) of the Energy 
Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6865(c)) is amended by 
striking paragraph (4).
    (e) Weatherization Readiness Program.--
            (1) In general.--The Energy Conservation and Production Act 
        is amended by adding after section 414E (42 U.S.C. 6864e) the 
        following section:

``SEC. 414F. WEATHERIZATION READINESS PROGRAM.

    ``(a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Secretary shall establish a 
weatherization readiness program to provide grants to States and tribal 
organizations to implement measures to make dwelling units occupied by 
low-income persons ready to receive weatherization measures pursuant to 
the weatherization program conducted under this part by addressing 
structural, plumbing, roofing, and electrical issues and environmental 
hazards, and implementing other measures that the Secretary determines 
to be appropriate, to reduce the frequency of deferrals of such 
weatherization measures when the condition of a dwelling unit renders 
delivery of weatherization measures unsafe or ineffective.
    ``(b) Alignment of Requirements.--Except as otherwise provided in 
this section, to the extent possible, the Secretary shall, in 
establishing the weatherization readiness program under this section--
            ``(1) align the requirements of such weatherization 
        readiness program with the requirements of the weatherization 
        program conducted under this part; and
            ``(2) seek to reduce barriers to leveraging other sources 
        of funding for weatherization readiness measures.
    ``(c) Savings-to-Investment Ratio.--The weatherization readiness 
program established under this section shall not include a savings-to-
investment ratio requirement.
    ``(d) Previous Weatherization.--Weatherization readiness measures 
implemented pursuant to the weatherization readiness program 
established under this section shall not be considered previous 
weatherization for purposes of section 415(c)(2).
    ``(e) Average Cost Per Dwelling Unit.--The Secretary may establish, 
or require a State grantee to establish, a limit for expenditures for 
weatherization readiness measures, including labor, materials, and 
related matters, to be implemented with respect to a dwelling unit, on 
an average cost per unit basis, pursuant to the weatherization 
readiness program established under this section.
    ``(f) Allocation of Funds.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall allocate funding 
        made available under this section to States and tribal 
        organizations in a manner consistent with the allocation of 
        financial assistance for weatherization assistance under the 
        weatherization program conducted under this part.
            ``(2) Updated allocation.--Not sooner than October 1, 2026, 
        the Secretary, in consultation with States and tribal 
        organizations, may, by rule, update the method to allocate 
        funding to States and tribal organizations under this section 
        to more accurately reflect the relative need for funding for 
        weatherization readiness measures among low-income persons 
        throughout the States and Indian tribes.
    ``(g) Administrative Expenses.--Not more than an amount equal to 15 
percent of any grant made by the Secretary under this section may be 
used for administrative purposes, except that not more than one-half of 
such amount may be used by any State for such purposes.
    ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated $90,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 through 2027 to 
carry out this section.''.
            (2) Table of contents amendment.--The table of contents for 
        the Energy Conservation and Production Act is amended by adding 
        after the item relating to section 414E the following:

``Sec. 414F. Weatherization readiness program.''.
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