NEMA’s “Why the Wait?” campaign encourages Congressional action on energy bill

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) today announced “Why the Wait?”—a bi-partisan campaign to encourage swift Senate action on S 761, the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, introduced by Senators Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH). The bill sailed out of committee in May thanks to what NEMA says was overwhelming bipartisan support, but has yet to be brought to the floor.

“This bill is a rare example of how lawmakers in Washington can find common ground on issues that matter most to the majority of Americans,” NEMA President and CEO Evan Gaddis said in a press release. “We simply shouldn’t wait a minute longer to move this critical legislation forward. There are consequences to our economy the longer Congress delays the benefits of Shaheen-Portman. We’re talking thousands of new jobs that aren’t being created, energy that continues to be wasted, along with taxpayer and consumer dollars.”

In the hope of breaking through the legislative clutter and prompting quick action on a bill with popular economic and societal benefits, Gaddis said NEMA is launching a delay meter on its website counting the days since the bill’s overwhelming committee passage.