For all the talk about increasing US jobs, the president's budget takes a meat cleaver to the largest job creator in the energy sector: energy efficiency. It seeks crippling cuts to federal programs that transform waste into wealth and help support 2.2 million energy efficiency jobs. 

The budget proposes to eliminate the popular ENERGY STAR program that saves consumers money and slash others at the Environmental Protection Agency that cut fuel costs for cars and trucks. It seeks to end all federal funds for home weatherization and impose a cut of approximately 70 percent to the energy efficiency programs at the Department of Energy. These programs lower energy bills for households, businesses, and the federal government itself, all while creating domestic jobs. 

We call on Congress to reject these draconian cuts and continue its bipartisan support for energy efficiency.