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Congress should continue funding the federal ENERGY STAR program in fiscal year 2027 at FY2026 levels, 30 business groups including the NAM said this week.

What’s going on: “Explicit ENERGY STAR funding should again be included in the text of appropriations legislation,” the multi-industry coalition told House and Senate leadership on Tuesday, urging lawmakers to include in the FY2027 spending bill “key elements” achieved in the 2026 measure.

• “For [FY2027], the amount should consolidate past funding ($33M – $36M) expressly given to the Environmental Protection Agency, plus amounts used by the Department of Energy historically to run its portion of the program,” the coalition said.
• Leadership of ENERGY STAR, a voluntary program that promotes energy efficiency in consumer products, was redesignated last month from the EPA to the DOE. The coalition supported the move.
• In January, following steady NAM advocacy, Congress approved legislation to fully fund the program at $33 million for FY2026.

Why it’s important: “This public–private partnership drives the critical bipartisan objective of energy affordability,” the coalition said, citing the more than $500 billion in energy costs that, since its founding in 1992, the program has helped U.S. families and businesses save.

• “In 2020 alone, ENERGY STAR saved the equivalent of approximately 47 million homes’ energy use for a year. Considering the $33 million appropriated for ENERGY STAR in the very text of the [FY2026] spending bill (H.R. 6938), taxpayers receive a tremendous return on their investment for this program.”

The final say: Continuing FY2027 appropriations for ENERGY STAR also aligns with the administration’s broader goals, the groups said.

• “Lowering costs through efficiency … supports broader competitiveness goals, including strengthening national defense, leading the world in AI and ensuring U.S. energy dominance.”