Bipartisan legislation that focused on energy efficiency standards such as water heaters with smart meters, ways to reduce home utility bills, and cheaper heating and cooling systems for office buildings failed in the U.S. Senate earlier this month.
While the bill had broad support, the introduction of an amendment on the controversial Keystone XL pipeline poisoned the well.
Proposed by Rob Portman (R-Ohio), the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act (ESIC) didn’t make it to a vote after the amendment was added to approve the Keystone pipeline extension ahead of the Obama Administration’s decision on whether to allow the pipeline to go forward.
As a result, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) refused to allow a vote on a Keystone pre-approval amendment to the bill, and the amendment’s supporters retaliated by blocking a vote on the main bill.
Many Democrats and climate activists oppose the Keystone pipeline. Portman reportedly called the bill’s failure “yet another disappointing example of Washington’s dysfunction.”
Related Stories
Architects | Jun 24, 2019
Clayco combines architecture and design assets into one business unit
Lamar Johnson Collaborative adds BatesForum.
Architects | Jun 14, 2019
Making public facilities more public
Municipal facilities must strike a delicate balance between openness and security.
Architects | Jun 4, 2019
Big design, small budget: These are the best small projects for 2019
Bjarke Ingels Group's prototype mountainside cabin and Fieldwork's forest pedestrian bridges are among 12 projects honored by AIA's Small Project Practitioners group.
Architects | Apr 26, 2019
Designing for the final frontier: Space architecture
Colonizing Mars is an exciting possibility in the not-too-distant future, and architects will play a vital role in making it a reality, despite the plethora of challenges that need to be overcome.
Architects | Apr 12, 2019
Bipartisan 'Invest in America Act' gains industry support
The bill would attract as much as $125 billion investment for buildings, infrastructure.
Office Buildings | Apr 8, 2019
It’s time for office amenities to get to work
Amenities with the greatest impact on effectiveness and experience are those that directly support the work needs of individual employees and their teams.
Industry Research | Apr 8, 2019
New research finds benefits to hiring architectural services based on qualifications
Government agencies gain by evaluating beyond price, according to a new Dodge survey of government officials.
Architects | Mar 17, 2019
HMC Architects sets up a ‘design lab’ to explore new ideas
The goal is for project team members to collaborate earlier to inspire innovation.
Architects | Mar 12, 2019
Thrown a curve: Fitting a restaurant into spherical dome was the design challenge for Willmott’s Ghost
The Seattle eatery nests inside the conservatories on Amazon’s massive campus.
