House Passes ‘Cash for Caulkers’ Legislation

The House has approved the “Cash for Caulkers” bill, which seeks to stimulate construction and manufacturing jobs and boost energy efficiency in homes.

The two-year, $5.6-billion Home Star Energy Retrofit Act, which the House passed on May 6, would provide up to $3,000 in rebates to homeowners who install insulation or energy-efficient windows, doors and other products. The Senate has not acted yet on the measure.

The bill’s supporters include the National Association of Home Builders, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, labor unions and environmental groups. But 154 Republicans voted against the legislation. The Associated Builders and Contractors also opposes the measure, saying it could exclude non-union construction companies.

Pam Hunter McFarland was a Senior Editor of ENR and her expertise was: Sourcebooks, Environment, Labor

Tom Ichniowski has been writing about the federal government as ENR’s Washington Bureau Chief since the George H.W. Bush administration, and he has covered at least five major highway bills. A recognized expert on government policy on infrastructure and regulation, Tom is also a Baltimore native and Orioles fan who grew up rooting for Brooks and Frank Robinson. He is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia’s graduate school of journalism, where he once used “unrelentless” in a headline.

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