January 22, 2026
Mr. Bell (for himself and Mr. Mannion) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
To amend Public Law 117–169 to improve access to home energy-efficiency rebates for working families, renters, and owners of older homes, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Home Energy Relief Act
.
Sec. 2. Elimination of prohibition on combining rebates provided under HOMES rebate programs and high-efficiency electric home rebate programs with other Federal grants and rebates
(a) Home energy performance-Based, whole-House rebates
(1) Repeal
Paragraph (7) of section 50121(c) of Public Law 117–169 (42 U.S.C. 18795(c)) is repealed.
(2) Conforming amendments
Section 50121(b) of Public Law 117–169 (42 U.S.C. 18795(b)) is amended—
(A)
in paragraph (4)(B), by striking retrofit;
and inserting retrofit; and
;
(B)
in paragraph (5), by striking program; and
and inserting program.
; and
(C)
by striking paragraph (6).
(b) High-Efficiency electric home rebate program
(1) Repeal
Paragraph (8) of section 50122(c) of Public Law 117–169 (42 U.S.C. 18795a(c)) is repealed.
(2) Conforming amendments
Section 50122(b) of Public Law 117–169 (42 U.S.C. 18795a(b)) is amended—
(A)
in paragraph (2), by striking sale;
and inserting sale; and
;
(B)
by striking paragraph (3); and
(C)
by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3).
Sec. 3. High-cost urban retrofit bonus rebates
Section 50122(c) of Public Law 117–169 (42 U.S.C. 18795a(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(10) Bonus rebates for upgrades and purchases relating to certain housing
(A) In general
From the amount of any grant provided under this section, a State energy office or Indian Tribe may provide to an eligible entity that received a rebate from the State energy office or Indian Tribe under a high-efficiency electric home rebate program a bonus rebate for the purchase of an appliance or a nonappliance upgrade under a qualified electrification project carried out or relating to housing built prior to January 1, 1970.
(B) Amount of bonus rebate
(i) In general
A bonus rebate provided under this paragraph may not be greater than 20 percent of the amount of the initial rebate provided under the high-efficiency electric home rebate program.
(ii) Exception to max amount
Subsection (c)(3)(C) shall not apply to a bonus rebate provided under this paragraph.
(iii) Not in excess of costs
An eligible entity may not receive a sum of rebates under this section that exceeds the cost of the qualified electrification project.
Sec. 4. Reports to Congress
(a) In general
Not later than two years after the date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Energy shall submit to the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate a report that includes—
(1)
the number of households that received a rebate under a HOMES rebate program or a high-efficiency electric home rebate program during the year preceding the report;
(2)
the household average energy savings resulting from upgrades, purchases, and retrofits for which a rebate was provided under a HOMES rebate program or a high-efficiency electric home rebate program; and
(3)
recommendations for further increasing the access of low-income and high-energy-burden households to such rebates.
(b) Definitions
In this section:
(1) HOMES rebate program
The term HOMES rebate program has the meaning given such term in section 50121(d) of Public Law 117–169 (42 U.S.C. 18795(d)).
(2) High-efficiency electric home rebate program
The term high-efficiency electric home rebate program has the meaning given such term in section 50122(d) of Public Law 117–169 (42 U.S.C. 18795a(d)).