§6861 — Title 42 The Public Health and Welfare | U.S. Code

§6861 Congressional findings and purpose

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 81— - ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE RENEWAL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE-RESOURCE ASSISTANCE FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS › Part Part A— - Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons › § 6861

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Create and fund weatherization programs that help low-income households make their homes use less energy. The idea is that improving home energy efficiency is a quick, low-cost, and environmentally friendly way to avoid future energy shortages and cut reliance on imported energy. Many low-income homes are inefficient and the people who live in them cannot afford fixes. Weatherization lowers housing costs, saves energy, and reduces future energy needs. States and local governments, including Community Action Agencies set up under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, should get federal money and technical help to run coordinated programs. The program’s purpose is to raise energy efficiency in homes owned or used by low-income people, cut their total residential energy bills, and improve health and safety, especially for those most vulnerable such as the elderly, the disabled, and children.

Title 42, §6861

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Congress finds that—

(1)a fast, cost-effective, and environmentally sound way to prevent future energy shortages in the United States while reducing the Nation’s dependence on imported energy supplies, is to encourage and facilitate, through major programs, the implementation of energy conservation and renewable-resource energy measures with respect to dwelling units;

(2)existing efforts to encourage and facilitate such measures are inadequate because—

(A)many dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons are energy inefficient;

(B)low-income persons can least afford to make the modifications necessary to provide for efficient energy equipment in such dwellings and otherwise to improve the energy efficiency of such dwellings;

(3)weatherization of such dwellings would lower shelter costs in dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons as well as save energy and reduce future energy capacity requirements; and

(4)States, through Community Action Agencies established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2701 et seq.] and units of general purpose local government, should be encouraged, with Federal financial and technical assistance, to develop and support coordinated weatherization programs designed to alleviate the adverse effects of energy costs on such low-income persons, to supplement other Federal programs serving such low-income persons, and to increase energy efficiency.

(b)It is, therefore, the purpose of this part to develop and implement a weatherization assistance program to increase the energy efficiency of dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons, reduce their total residential energy expenditures, and improve their health and safety, especially low-income persons who are particularly vulnerable such as the elderly, the handicapped, and children.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (a)(4), is Pub. L. 88–452, Aug. 20, 1964, 78 Stat. 508, which was classified generally to chapter 34 (§ 2701 et seq.) of this title prior to repeal, except for titles VIII and X, by Pub. L. 97–35, title VI, § 683(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 519. Titles VIII and X of the Act are classified generally to subchapters VIII (§ 2991 et seq.) and X (§ 2996 et seq.) of chapter 34 of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Tables.

Amendments

1990—Pub. L. 101–440 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “(a) The Congress finds that— “(1) dwellings owned or occupied by low-income persons frequently are inadequately insulated; “(2) low-income persons, particularly elderly and handicapped low-income persons, can least afford to make the modifications necessary to provide for adequate insulation in such dwellings and to otherwise reduce residential energy use; “(3) weatherization of such dwellings would lower utility expenses for such low-income owners or occupants as well as save thousands of barrels per day of needed fuel; and “(4) States, through community action agencies established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 and units of general purpose local government, should be encouraged, with Federal financial and technical assistance, to develop and support coordinated weatherization programs designed to ameliorate the adverse effects of high energy costs on such low-income persons, to supplement other Federal programs serving such persons, and to conserve energy. “(b) It is, therefore, the purpose of this part to develop and implement a supplementary weatherization assistance program to assist in achieving a prescribed level of insulation in the dwellings of low-income persons, particularly elderly and handicapped low-income persons, in order both to aid those persons least able to afford higher utility costs and to conserve needed energy.”

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Weatherization Assistance Program Pub. L. 117–58, div. D, title V, § 40551, Nov. 15, 2021, 135 Stat. 1075, provided that: “(a) Authorization of Appropriations.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary [of Energy] for the weatherization assistance program established under part A of title IV of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.) $3,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2022, to remain available until expended. “(b) Application of Wage Rate Requirements to Weatherization Assistance Program.—With respect to work performed under the weatherization assistance program established under part A of title IV of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (42 U.S.C. 6861 et seq.) on a project assisted in whole or in part by funding made available under subsection (a), the requirements of section 41101 [42 U.S.C. 18851] shall apply only to work performed on multifamily buildings with not fewer than 5 units.” [For provisions relating to rates of wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics on projects for

Construction

, alteration, or repair work funded under div. D or an amendment by div. D of Pub. L. 117–58, including authority of Secretary of Labor, see section 18851 of this title.]