To exclude an external power supply for certain security or life safety alarms and surveillance system components from the application of certain energy efficiency standards under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5470) to exclude an external power supply for certain security or life safety alarms and surveillance system components from the application of certain energy efficiency standards under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material in the Record.

Mr. Speaker, I yield to myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today to offer H.R. 5470, a simple piece of legislation that provides a straightforward technical correction to the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

Specific provisions in the Energy Independence and Security Act intended to increase the energy efficiency requirements for battery chargers and external power supplies have been implemented in a way that includes security and life safety products but yields no energy savings. The law requires the power supplies on these products to meet energy efficiency standards in a number of different modes, including off mode and standby mode. Security and life safety products, however, are always on and never operate in off mode or standby mode. Fire monitors, carbon monoxide monitors, intrusion detection sensors and access control readers require a constant, uninterrupted power supply. Security products are always in active mode, meaning they are connected to a main power source and remain active to detect and monitor various readings. To disconnect these devices from the transformer would destroy the integrity of the security system and compromise public safety and security.

This legislation will provide an exemption for security and life safety products from these Federal energy efficiency requirements while still retaining the law's active mode efficiency requirements for these products. Without creating this correction for security and life safety products, the industry will be forced to spend millions of dollars to comply with an energy standard that will yield no energy savings and could actually cost jobs.

Mr. Speaker, this commonsense correction to current law is supported by the security industry and a broad spectrum of environmental groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, and the Alliance to Save Energy. The bill also contains language which will mitigate any potential newfound concerns by limiting the duration of the exemption to allow the Department of Energy to modify it after July 2017.

I would also note, Mr. Speaker, that the Department of Energy supports this correction, which is documented in response to a question for the record submitted by Senator Bingaman following a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing. It is also bipartisan. My colleague from Kentucky who is on the floor is also one of the cosponsors of this bill.

I would urge all my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support this sensible technical correction and vote ``aye.''

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

I would also yield back the balance of my time and urge passage of the bill.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey for introducing this important legislation. We anticipate that over the next 25 years, the demand for electricity in America is going to almost double. One of the ways, not the only way, but one of the ways that we are going to have to address this problem is to have consumer products that are more efficient, that use less electricity.

That was certainly the purpose of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, which sought to clarify requirements in the measurement of energy consumption in certain consumer devices. Some of the devices, however, that were not excluded in this legislation included security devices such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

When we have regulations to make products more efficient, it's always a balancing act. We want them to be more efficient, but we don't want them to have to be redone in such a way that it raises the price to the consumer and makes the manufacturer of that product less competitive in the global marketplace.

This legislation, H.R. 5470, is designed to do particularly that, to exclude from this legislation of 2007 these security devices such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. This legislation is going to help clarify that, because we went to the Department of Energy and asked them to modify the requirements, and they refused, saying that they could issue a ruling only to modify regulations written by the Department, not amend a law passed by Congress. Mr. Pallone's legislation does expressly that. I would urge all of our Members to support it.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

I ask unanimous consent that the Senate proceed to the immediate consideration of H.R. 5470, received from the House and at the desk.

Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the bill be read a third time, passed, the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating to the measure be printed in the Record.