Strong bipartisan support in Congress for saving the Energy Star program

There is strong bipartisan support for the Energy Star program in Congress, though its status remains in doubt.

Bills from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees call for continued funding of the program at its current funding level. Earlier this year, President Donald Trump’s FY26 budget request proposed eliminating funding and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said the program should be privatized.

For now, the program remains operational, but if Congress opts for a full-year continuing budget resolution, it will likely not include detailed congressional direction or specific funding levels for most programs. This would allow the administration more flexibility to determine how funds are spent within agencies.

Through their recent actions, however, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have sent a strong signal to the administration that Congress supports Energy Star and believes it should remain a function of the EPA.