Rural Energy Savings Program Press Conference - VIDEO

(Washington, DC) – House Majority Whip and Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn joined with Senator Lindsey Graham and Congressman John Spratt today to introduce legislation establishing a nationwide Rural Energy Savings Program, modeled on the South Carolina electric cooperatives’ plan to save their consumers money on their utility bills. This bipartisan legislation provides $4.9 billion in lending authority through the Rural Utilities Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide energy efficient upgrades for participating consumers. Those improvements will be paid for through energy savings spread across monthly payments on participating consumers’ utilities bills. The federal government will be repaid its initial investment, and as many as one million electric cooperative consumers will enjoy the benefits of energy efficient homes through the program.