Sponsors (22)
The bill keeps federal weatherization programs funded and gives states clearer guidance to support innovation while trading off smaller per-home spending limits and slightly lower near-term funding that could reduce the depth and number of upgrades and increase administrative burdens.
Low-income households will continue receiving federal weatherization support and clearer guidance that helps preserve their access to energy-bill savings and improved home comfort.
State and local agencies gain predictable funding through 2030 and better information to align program rules, improving planning, program stability, and public trust in energy-efficiency efforts.
Clearer guidance on how innovation efforts affect Weatherization Assistance eligibility reduces uncertainty and can help sustain or expand access as programs adopt new technologies.
Low-income households and program grantees face a much lower statutory per-dwelling 'average cost' cap (appears to drop from ~$6,500 to ~$2,000), which will likely constrain the scope of upgrades per home, reduce energy and health benefits delivered, and shift costs to local programs or households.
Near-term authorized funding (FY2026–2028 at $300M) is lower than prior levels, which may shrink program capacity and result in fewer homes being served in the early years.
Analyses required by the bill could lead to tighter eligibility criteria for Weatherization Assistance, meaning some households may lose access to services.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Revises the Weatherization Assistance Program per-dwelling cost figure, sets authorized funding for FY2026–2030, and requires a report on how enhancement/innovation readiness efforts affect eligibility.
Official title: To amend the Energy Conservation and Production Act to reauthorize the Weatherization Assistance Program, direct the Secretary of Energy to establish a weatherization readiness program, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 13, 2025 by Paul Tonko · Last progress February 13, 2025
Amends the Weatherization Assistance Program law to change a statutory per-dwelling average cost figure, set a new five-year schedule of authorized funding levels for fiscal years 2026–2030, and require an expanded readiness report analyzing how enhancement and innovation efforts affect program eligibility. The bill mainly changes program finance parameters and adds a reporting requirement for the Secretary to assess the eligibility impacts of pilot, enhancement, or innovation readiness activities. The measure affects low-income households that receive weatherization services, the state and local agencies and nonprofits that administer those services, contractors who perform weatherization work, and the Department of Energy officials who prepare the required report and manage grants. It is an authorization-style change (not direct appropriations or tax reform) with modest complexity and limited controversy.