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H.R. 3161: BTU Act of 2017

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H.R. 3161: BTU Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-06-29 · Taxation · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

  1. Where it came from: introduced 2017-06-29 · official record
  2. Who proposed it: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] · what a sponsor is
  3. What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
  4. Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
  5. If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

BTU Act of 2017

Plain summary

Biomass Thermal Utilization Act of 2017 or the BTU Act of 201 7 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code to include 30% of qualified biomass fuel property expenditures for property placed in service before 2022 in the residential energy efficient property tax credit. A "qualified biomass fuel property expenditure" is an expenditure for property which uses the burning of biomass fuel (a plant-derived fuel available on a renewable or recurring basis) to heat a dwelling used as a residence, or to heat water for use in such dwelling, and which has a thermal efficiency rating of at least 75%. The bill also allows: (1) a 15% energy tax credit until 2022 for investment in open-loop biomass heating property, including boilers or furnaces that operate at thermal output efficiencies of at least 65% and provide thermal energy in the form of heat, hot water, or steam for space heating, air conditioning, domestic hot water, or industrial process heat; and (2) a 30% credit until 2022 for investment in such property that operates at a thermal output efficiency of at least 80%.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

BTU Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] · 5 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Mike Kelly (R-PA), Chellie Pingree (D-ME)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] reported raising $248,839 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)
Bill
A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Property tax
A tax on land, buildings and some business property, based on its value. In Texas it is set and collected by local governments (cities, counties, school districts and special districts), not by the state.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Record fed-us-cong115-hr3161 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115