Energy Secretary Chu to Appear at Tuesday Oversight Hearing on DOE Stimulus Loan Program Management Challenges

(WASHINGTON)—The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform will hold a hearing March 20 to assess Department of Energy (DOE) weatherization and green energy loan programs .  The hearing, part of the Committee’s ongoing investigation into administrative and management-related challenges related to stimulus programs, will include testimony from Secretary of Energy Steven Chu.

To date, billions in taxpayer dollars have been dedicated to the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the so-called 1705  loan program, to support certain clean energy projects.  Both were established under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The WAP program has been appropriated $5 billion and the DOE has guaranteed $14.5 billion in loans under the 1705 program.  The DOE has been charged with overseeing and implementation a vast operation with billions of resources at risk.  The Committee hearing will examine the challenges inherent in administering these programs.

The hearing will be held Tuesday, March 20 at 10:00 a.m. in room 2154 of the Rayburn House Office Building.  The Committee’s hearing page is here.