Recently, U.S. Representative Jared Huffman (CA-02) led 66 of his colleagues in a letter to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) demanding information and swift action to improve the slow and contradictory rollout of the Inflation Reduction Act’s rebate program for low- and middle-income households to make affordable, green, energy-efficient home upgrades.“As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), we write to urge the Department of Energy (DOE) to expedite the deployment of the IRA’s historic rebate programs for investing in affordable, energy-efficient home upgrades.Because of delays in finalizing program guidance and distributing administrative funds, we are informed that states may be unable to offer rebates until the Fall of 2024 or later, which would be more than two years after IRA enactment,” the members wrote in their letter.“The Home Energy Rebate Program is one of the most important consumer-facing benefits of the IRA and, unlike tax credits, it prioritizes low- and middle-income households that may not be able to utilize nonrefundable tax credits. The rebates will increase home energy efficiency, reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and lower home energy costs,” the members stated. “If equity is to remain a priority in implementing the IRA, we must recognize that it is unfair to require low- and moderate-income households to wait as much as two years to access rebates while higher-income households can benefit from tax credits for upgrades initiated since January 1st of this year.”#placement_573654_0_i{width:100%;max-width:550px;margin:0 auto;}var rnd = window.rnd || Math.floor(Math.random()*10e6);var pid573654 = window.pid573654 || rnd;var plc573654 = window.plc573654 || 0;var abkw = window.abkw || '';var absrc = 'https://ads.empowerlocal.co/adserve/;ID=181918;size=0x0;setID=573654;type=js;sw='+screen.width+';sh='+screen.height+';spr='+window.devicePixelRatio+';kw='+abkw+';pid='+pid573654+';place='+(plc573654++)+';rnd='+rnd+';click=CLICK_MACRO_PLACEHOLDER';var _absrc = absrc.split("type=js"); absrc = _absrc[0] + 'type=js;referrer=' + encodeURIComponent(document.location.href) + _absrc[1];document.write('');Huffman and his colleagues went on to request that DOE prioritize working with states, territories, and tribes to ensure there are no further delays in getting this program on a more successful path forward. It further urges DOE to finalize clear, appropriate guidance so that states can build successful programs and inform residents about the timing and amount of rebates for which they will be eligible.The IRA clearly authorizes retroactive rebates, stating that Home Efficiency Rebates “shall” be provided for “retrofits begun on or after the date of enactment.” and saying nothing to the contrary regarding the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate.In addition to Rep. Huffman, the letter was signed by Becca Balint (VT-01), Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Suzanne Bonamici, (OR-01), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), Julia Brownley (CA-26), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), Andre Carson (IN-07), Matt Cartwright (PA-08), Sean Casten (IL-06), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Judy Chu (CA-28), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-05), Lou Correa (CA-46), Jim Costa (CA-21), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), Debbie Dingell (MI-06), Lloyd Doggett (TX-37), Anna Eshoo (CA-16), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Raúl Grijalva (AZ-07), Val Hoyle (OR-04), Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Ro Khanna (CA-17), Annie Kuster (NH-02), Barbara Lee (CA-12), Mike Levin (CA-49), Ted Lieu (CA-36), Zoe Lofgren (CA-18), Doris Matsui (CA-07), Jennifer McClellan (VA-04), Kevin Mullin (CA-15), Jerry Nadler (NY-12), Grace Napolitano (CA-31), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-01), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), Donald M. Payne Jr. (NJ-10), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Katie Porter (CA-47), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), Linda Sanchez (CA-38), John Sarbanes (MD-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Adam Schiff (CA-30), Kim Schrier (WA-08), Bobby Scott (VA-03), Adam Smith (WA-09), Greg Stanton (AZ-04), Eric Swalwell (CA-14), Mark Takano (CA-39), Mike Thompson (CA-04), Dina Titus (NV-01), David Trone (MD-06), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), Susan Wild (PA-07), Nikema Williams (GA-05) googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('ad-1515727'); });