
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 23, 2000]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 23, 2000 and December 4, 2001]
[CITE: 42USC6861]

 
                 TITLE 42--THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE
 
          CHAPTER 81--ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE RENEWAL
 
 SUBCHAPTER III--ENERGY CONSERVATION AND RENEWABLE-RESOURCE ASSISTANCE 
                         FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS
 
        Part A--Weatherization Assistance for Low-Income Persons
 
Sec. 6861. Congressional findings and purpose

    (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.

(Pub. L. 94-385, title IV, Sec. 411, Aug. 14, 1976, 90 Stat. 1151; Pub. 
L. 101-440, Sec. 7(j), Oct. 18, 1990, 104 Stat. 1015.)

                       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, as amended, which was 
classified generally to chapter 34 (Sec. 2701 et seq.) of this title 
prior to repeal, except for titles VIII and X, by Pub. L. 97-35, title 
VI, Sec. 683(a), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 519. Titles VIII and X of the 
Act are classified generally to subchapters VIII (Sec. 2991 et seq.) and 
X (Sec. 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.''
