May 15 2010
President Obama’s Home Star program, commonly called “Cash for Caulkers,” has been amended to recognize wood products, including wood flooring. The program is aimed at kick-starting the homebuilding industry and creating green jobs through rebates for energy-saving home improvements.
The amended legislation is receiving support in both the House and the Senate. In the House version, Representative Stupak (D-MI) introduced the legislation and has won the support of the House Energy Committee Chairman Waxman (D-CA). Senator Wyden (D-OR) supported the legislation in the Senate. Final passage is expected to take some time, but having the wood provision in both bills is a positive move for home owners and businesses looking to add wood flooring to their homes and businesses. Wood is recognized by many environmental groups as the only renewable flooring option available, making it a green building material.
The legislation was supported by the Hardwood Federation, a coalition of more than 30 associations, including the National Wood Flooring Association, representing the interests of the United States hardwood industry. The US hardwood industry employs millions of families throughout the country, representing thousands of jobs in nearly every state and hundreds of Congressional districts.
Source: http://www.nwfa.org/