The bill is one of three currently moving through Congress to create a long-term national energy policy.

“When President Bush released his energy policy earlier this year, I said it didn’t go far enough to advance conservation and renewable energy,” Nussle said.  “I am pleased that the bill we are considering today builds on the President’s proposal by adding a number of conservation and renewable energy measures.”

Included in H.R. 2511 is legislation Nussle introduced earlier this year to promote energy efficiency and conservation.  Nussle's bill, The Resource Efficient Appliance Incentives Act, creates a tax incentive for appliance manufacturers to produce energy efficient household appliances.

Refrigerators and clothes washers, both of which are manufactured in Iowa, account for approximately 15 percent of all household energy consumed in the United States, and consumers spend approximately $21 billion annually to operate these appliances.  

"Consumers could save substantial amounts of energy and money each month, and our national economic security and environment would be enhanced, by simply replacing older inefficient appliances with newer high efficiency products,"  Nussle said.

It is estimated that by expanding the use of these super energy-efficient appliances over 200 trillion BTUs would be saved.  This would be equivalent to taking 2.3 million cars off of the road, or shutting down 6 coal-fired power plants for a year. In addition, super efficient clothes washers would reduce the amount of water necessary to wash clothes by 870 billion gallons of water.  The net benefits to consumers from operational savings would be approximately $1 billion.

H.R. 2511 also includes other Nussle energy priorities such as portions of his Renewable Energy from Agricultural Products (REAP) Act. That provision promotes value-added agriculture by creating incentives to produce biomass energy from renewable sources such as wood, grain, and other crop residues and by-products.

Nussle is also a long-time proponent of the wind energy tax credit, which is extended in the Ways and Means bill.

Nussle said current efforts to develop a long-term energy policy come at a crucial time.  

"Americans are hurting today, but tomorrow will be tougher if our nation does not unite around a comprehensive energy policy,"  Nussle said.

Over the next 20 years, U.S. oil consumption will increase by 33% and demand for electricity will rise by 45%.  Future energy demand will vastly outstrip supply if no action is taken.

"Congress and the President must continue to work together to develop a long-term energy policy that boosts conservation, increases use of renewable energy, ensures safe exploration, protects our environment, and reduces our nation’s dependence on foreign oil," Nussle said.