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Chuck Fleischmann introduces the "Stop Green Initiative Abuse Act of 2011"

November 16, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann introduced the “Stop Green Initiative Abuse Act of 2011” today. It will eliminate the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program and save taxpayers $2.1 billion over the next ten years.

“I ran for Congress because I knew something had to be done about our crushing debt. I have worked since day one to balance our budget and stop the ‘tax, borrow, spend’ mentality that has dominated Washington for far too long. I am glad to introduce legislation to end the Weatherization Assistance Program in order to save billions of dollars. I am also glad the American people directly had a say in this process through the YouCut program. Together we can get our fiscal house in order and get our country back on the right track,” Fleischmann said.

The Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program was originally created in the 1970’s. However, other federal programs, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), are already in place to assist low-income households in managing energy costs.

In December 2010, the Tennessee Comptroller General’s office released a review of the program citing that weatherization contractors had, in nearly half of the cases studied, failed to implement critically recommended measures to properly weatherize homes. The review also noted that funds for the program were used for other assistance measures that had nothing to do with weatherization.

The Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Energy also conducted a review of this program concluding that weatherization work on homes was poorly administered and led to potentially harmful effects for home inhabitants. The State of Delaware actually suspended their weatherization program due to “fraud and mismanagement”.

The Weatherization Assistance Program received the most votes from the American people during the week Congressman Fleischmann lead the YouCut effort.