American Energy Independence Act

Bill: 109-hr-5927
Sponsor: Rep. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD-3]
Introduced: 2006-07-27 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Agricultural wastes
Agriculture and Food
Air conditioning
Air pollution control
Alcohol as fuel
Alternative energy sources
Authorization
Automobile parts
Automobiles
Bikeways
Biomass energy
Building construction
Cellulose
Coal
Commerce
Congressional reporting requirements
Construction industries
Construction workers
Cost effectiveness
Department of Energy
Department of Transportation
Economics and Public Finance
Education
Electric appliances
Electric power production
Electric power transmission
Electric utilities
Electric utility rates
Electric vehicles
Elementary and secondary education
Energy assistance for the poor
Energy conservation
Energy consumption
Energy crops
Energy efficiency
Energy facilities
Energy research
Engineering
Engineers
Environmental Protection
Federal advisory bodies
Federal aid to education
Federal aid to research
Federal aid to transportation
Federal employees
Federal office buildings
Federally-guaranteed loans
Fines (Penalties)
Fossil fuels
Fuel consumption
Geothermal resources
Government Operations and Politics
Government internships
Government lending
Government procurement
Government vehicles
Governmental investigations
Green marketing
Heating
Home repair and improvement
Housing and Community Development
Hydroelectric power
Income tax
Infrastructure
Investment tax credit
Labeling
Labor and Employment
Laboratories
Landfills
Law
Mass rapid transit
Mathematics
Methane
Minimum wages
Municipal solid waste
Ocean energy resources
Office buildings
Oils and fats
Pedestrians
Propane
Public Lands and Natural Resources
Refuse as fuel
Research and development
Research grants
Revolving funds
Science, Technology, Communications
Scientific education
Scientific instruments and apparatus
Scientists in government
Secondary education
Social Welfare
Solar energy
Standards
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Taxation
Technological innovations
Telecommuting
Television
Transportation and Public Works
Transportation engineering
Trucks
Urban affairs
Urban transportation
Wages
Water Resources Development
Wind power
Wood

Summary:
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: 
American Energy Independence Act - Establishes the National Commission on Energy Independence to review U.S. energy policy.
 
Amends federal transportation law to provide: (1) phased increases in fuel economy standards for passenger automobiles; and (2) a national tire efficiency program for passenger cars and light trucks.
 
Directs the Secretary of Energy to establish Energy Star Program requirements, and an Energy Star rating program for solar water heating devices.
 
Amends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to prescribe standards for household appliances in standby mode. 
 
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to: (1) increase the energy efficient commercial buildings deduction; (2) extend the timeframe for placing into service production facilities for renewable electric energy; and (3) establish a tax credit for telecommuting.
 
Amends the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to prescribe: (1) a federal renewable portfolio standard; and (2) special rules for net metering.
 
Instructs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish an investment tax credit for the construction of new electricity transmission lines to carry electricity from renewable energy resources.
 
Authorizes loan guarantees for biorefineries and renewable energy production facilities.
 
Directs the President to take measures to ensure decreased electricity consumption for federal nondefense related activities. 
 
Requires design phases for future federal buildings to meet the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design green building rating standard. 
 
Prescribes guidelines governing the fuel economy of the federal fleet of vehicles.
 
Requires executive agency motor purchases to include high-efficiency vehicles, or hybrid electric vehicles.
 
Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to authorize appropriations for basic research at the Department of Energy (DOE).
 
Amends the Department of Energy Science Education Enhancement Act to prescribe organization guidelines for mathematics, science, and engineering education programs.
 
Authorizes DOE research grants for early career scientists and engineers to pursue independent research.
 
Establishes: (1) the Advanced Research Projects Authority-Energy; and (2) the Acceleration Fund for Research and Development of Energy Technologies.
 
Directs the Secretary of Transportation to: (1) designate transit-oriented development corridors in urbanized areas; and (2) award transit grants for transit facilities, bicycle transportation, and pedestrian walkways in a transit-oriented development corridor. 
 
Amends the Energy Conservation and Production Act to increase and extend weatherization assistance.
 
Instructs the Secretary of Energy to establish a grants program, low-interest loans, and loan guarantees for commercialization of new: (1) renewable energy technologies; (2) technologies for energy generation from fossil fuels that incorporate carbon sequestration; and (3) energy efficiency technologies.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-08-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Research.
action_date: 2006-08-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
action_date: 2006-08-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Environment, Technology, and Standards.
action_date: 2006-08-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality.
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways, Transit and Pipelines.
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform, and Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform, and Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform, and Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform, and Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform, and Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, Transportation and Infrastructure, Government Reform, and Science, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-07-27
text: Introduced in House