The Senate energy committee unanimously passed Thursday an amendment by Sen. Bernie Sanders which would establish a Home Energy Retrofit Finance Program in the Department of Energy.  This program would provide grants to state governments to support innovative local government and utility efforts to help households become more energy efficient and utilize renewable energy sources.  This program would support state and local programs such as the program recently authorized in Vermont which allows local governments to set-up clean energy finance programs. 

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, of which Sanders is a member, voted by voice vote to adopt the amendment and include it in the committee’s large energy bill.

You can read Sanders’ amendment here.