Empowering America Act of 2006

Bill: 109-hr-5985
Sponsor: Rep. Cardoza, Dennis A. [D-CA-18]
Introduced: 2006-07-28 in the House
Policy area: Energy
Subjects: Administrative procedure
Alternative energy sources
Authorization
Block grants
Building construction
Commerce
Community development
Congress
Congressional reporting requirements
Contracts
Department of Energy
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Economics and Public Finance
Electric appliances
Energy conservation
Energy efficiency
Energy research
Executive reorganization
Federal aid to research
Fuel cells
Government Operations and Politics
Governmental investigations
Heating
Home repair and improvement
Housing and Community Development
Income tax
Infrastructure
Law
Leases
Legislation
Licenses
Minimum tax
Office buildings
Rebates
Research and development facilities
Research centers
Research grants
Science, Technology, Communications
Single family housing
Solar energy
Tax credits
Tax deductions
Tax incentives
Urban affairs

Summary:
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: 
Empowering America Act of 2006 - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to increase and extend through 2015: (1) the tax credit for residential energy efficient property; (2) the tax credit for nonbusiness energy property; and (3) the tax deduction for energy efficient commercial buildings. Extends through 2015 the energy tax credit for equipment which uses solar energy.

Amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to extend through FY2015 funding of energy efficient appliance rebate programs.

Amends the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to require that states, counties, and Indian tribes which receive community development block grants limit the cost of permits or licenses for the construction or installation of solar energy systems in residential and nonresidential structures.

Directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to issue regulations to prohibit restrictions on the installation, construction, maintenance, or use of a solar energy system in a single family residence. 

Directs the Secretary of Energy to: (1) study the effectiveness of the conservation and energy efficiency tax incentives enacted by the Energy Tax Incentives Act of 2005 and report to Congress on such study; and (2) establish a Center for Advanced Solar Research and Development. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2006-08-16
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.
action_date: 2006-08-01
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Chairman .
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Science, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Science, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Science, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Science, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2006-07-28
text: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committees on Financial Services, Science, and Energy and Commerce, 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: 2006-07-28
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2006-07-28
text: Introduced in House