After a summer of waiting, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act – co-authored by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Rob Portman – is finally slated for a Senate vote and possible passage into law. As The Huffington Post notes, the bipartisan legislation, if passed, would mark the first noteworthy energy efficiency action taken by Congress in six years. 

On Wednesday, September 11, just days before the Senate was expected to vote on the bill, Senator Shaheen took the floor to remind her colleagues of the wide-reaching, bipartisan support that the measure – often referred to as just Shaheen-Portman – has enjoyed since it was drafted in May. Advocates run the gamut of 260 businesses, trade associations and non-governmental organizations, including groups such as the Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers. President Obama also lent his support to the bill, in an official statement released by the White House that same day:

"[Shaheen-Portman] would build on the momentum established the Administration's 'all of the above' energy strategy, supporting the President's goal to cut in half the energy wasted by U.S. homes and businesses by 2030."

A new study released last week by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy corroborated these claims, projecting that the bipartisan bill could yield up to $65 billion in saved energy expenses, in addition to producing 174,000 new jobs for Americans.

While Washington D.C. lawmakers begin their debate on the bill, homeowners in the area can get started on their own energy efficiency improvements with help from DC home inspectors. These professionals can perform an energy audit of your property, analyzing ways in which you may be wasting power and recommending steps to fix these issues, helping you save hundreds of dollars in long-term utility expenses.