Today, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization, praised the United States Senate’s passage of the bipartisan Energy Modernization Act of 2015 (S. 2012) which contains the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act, a bipartisan initiative spearheaded by OU Advocacy to assist synagogues, churches, youth centers, schools, and other community nonprofits to make their buildings energy efficient.

Originally introduced by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.), the provisions of the Nonprofit Energy Efficiency Act will establish a new pilot program at the Department of Energy that will award grants of up to $200,000 to nonprofit organizations to help them make buildings they own and operate more energy efficient. Specifically, the grants can be used to purchase materials such as a new HVAC system, a roof or lighting system, windows, doors, or a renewable energy system.

Nathan Diament, executive director for public policy for the Orthodox Union, stated:
“This bipartisan legislation has been years in the making and will go a long way toward helping nonprofit organizations reduce their operating costs and make their structures more energy efficient and reduce their overhead costs, thus giving them more resources to serve our communities.

“The Orthodox Union Advocacy Center thanks Senators Hoeven, Klobuchar, Murkowski, Cantwell, Portman and Alexander, as well as Senate Majority Leader McConnell and Democratic Leader Reid, and all those who supported nonprofit organizations in the energy bill,” Diament added. “We are also grateful for our coalition partners, including the YMCA Association, the National Council of Churches, Jewish Federations of North America, Association of American Museum Directors, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Sojourners, and The Salvation Army.”