Next week, the U.S. Senate will likely debate energy policy legislation that has the potential to deliver substantial benefits to non-profit organizations, including our community’s schools and shuls.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has “filed cloture” so that the Senate may proceed to consider the bipartisan American Energy Efficiency Act (S.2262), sponsored by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Rob Portman.

This Senate floor debate will be our best opportunity to pass the bipartisan legislation developed by OU Advocacy in partnership with Senators Klobuchar, Hoeven and others to create a program under which non-profits could receive matching grants, of up to $250,000, to make energy efficiency renovations to their buildings.

(More information here:

Senators Klobuchar and Hoeven are working to have OU Advocacy’s non-profit proposal—S.717—added as an amendment to the Shaheen-Portman bill, but the Senate will consider only a limited number of amendments on the floor.

Please contact your U.S. Senators and ask them to (1) urge Senate leaders Reid and McConnell to include the Klobuchar-Hoeven nonprofit grants program amendment in the list of amendments for Shaheen-Portman and (2) ask your Senator to support that amendment on the Senate floor. Click here to find your Senators’ contact information or contact the U.S. Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121.