The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“POWER AND SECURITY SYSTEMS (PASS) ACT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7945-H7946 on Oct. 11, 2017.
The Department oversees energy policies and is involved in how the US handles nuclear programs. Downsizing the Federal Government, a project aimed at lowering taxes and boosting federal efficiency, said the Department's misguided energy regulations have caused large losses to consumers for decades.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
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POWER AND SECURITY SYSTEMS (PASS) ACT
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(S. 190) to provide for consideration of the extension under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of nonapplication of No-Load Mode energy efficiency standards to certain security or life safety alarms or surveillance systems, and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
S. 190
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Power And Security Systems
(PASS) Act''.
SEC. 2. EXTENSION OF NONAPPLICATION OF NO-LOAD MODE ENERGY
EFFICIENCY STANDARD TO CERTAIN SECURITY OR LIFE
SAFETY ALARM OR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS.
(a) Section 325(u)(3)(D)(ii) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(3)(D)(ii)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``2015'' each place it appears and inserting ``2021''; and
(2) by striking ``2017'' and inserting ``2023''.
(b) Section 325(u)(3)(E) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6295(u)(3)(E)) is amended--
(1) in clause (ii), by striking ``July 1, 2017,'' and inserting ``the effective date of the amendment under subparagraph (D)(ii)''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(iv) Treatment in rule.--In the rule under subparagraph
(D)(ii) and subsequent amendments the Secretary may treat some or all external power supplies designed to be connected to a security or life safety alarm or surveillance system as a separate product class or may extend the nonapplication under clause (ii).''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Rush) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of S. 190.
External power supplies are used for all sorts of devices, and we have learned from experience that the Federal energy efficiency standards sometimes don't work in the ways we want them to. In particular, we need an exemption from these rules for the security and life safety alarms and surveillance alarms.
S. 190, the Power and Security Systems, or PASS, Act, provides targeted exemptions that allow these critical uses to stay on the market.
Devices like home security alarms or fire detection need to be on 24/
7, 365, but the 2007 energy law on energy efficiency standards for external power supplies does not allow for this. Since then, Congress has created exemptions for these ``always on'' devices, but this exemption ended on July 1 of 2017. S. 190 extends this exemption out to 2023.
The result of this bill would be that these important security systems will continue to be available, preserving the jobs of those who make them, and, most importantly, the safety of those who use them.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this measure, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 190, the Power and Security Systems, or PASS, Act.
Mr. Speaker, this bill would provide a noncontroversial technical fix to a Department of Energy efficiency standard, and it has widespread bipartisan support.
I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues, Mr. Welch from Vermont, Mr. Brooks from Alabama, as well as Senator Gardner and Senator Cantwell, for their work in sponsoring this bill and getting it to the floor here today.
Mr. Speaker, this legislation would simply amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to require the Department of Energy to issue a rule by July 1, 2021, which would determine whether energy conservation standards for external power supplies should be amended.
The rule must contain any amendment standards and would apply to products manufactured on or after July 1, 2023.
Mr. Speaker, current law exempts external power supplies for security or life safety systems from energy conservation standards until July 1, 2017. This bill simply extends that exemption to July 1, 2023.
Mr. Speaker, this clarification is necessary in order to exclude power supply circuits, drivers, and devices that are designed to power security alarms, lifesaving devices, and surveillance systems.
Mr. Speaker, as I stated, this legislative fix has widespread support from both houses of Congress, from both sides of the aisle, as well as from industry and the energy efficiency community.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this valuable piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. OLSON. Mr. Speaker, I close with a short and sweet: good bill, vote for it.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Olson) that the House suspend the rules and pass the bill, S. 190.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the rules were suspended and the bill was passed.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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