H5872 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 12, 2012 

The service of Ambassador Stevens 

and three other embassy staff will not 

be forgotten as their service represents 

everything that our country stands for 

in promoting peace and democracy and 

liberty for all peoples across the globe. 

Mr. Speaker, God bless the brave men 

and women who serve our country everywhere, and God bless the United 

States of America. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF DELAWARE 

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE BOB 

GILLIGAN 

(Mr. CARNEY asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 

Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today to recognize Delaware Speaker of 

the House Bob Gilligan. 

In November, Speaker Gilligan will 

conclude a 40-year career as a member 

of Delaware’s house of representatives, 

making him the longest-serving member in State history. 

Throughout his career, Speaker 

Gilligan has been one of the most effective leaders in Delaware State government. Speaker Gilligan has been a 

trusted and compassionate leader during times when Delaware needed him 

most. He helped lead the State through 

some of its most difficult fiscal challenges. He championed open government legislation that gave Delawareans unprecedented access to their 

representatives and oversaw the passage of landmark civil rights reforms. 

And he did this while maintaining the 

friendship and respect of his colleagues 

on both sides of the aisle. 

On a personal level, I will always appreciate Speaker Gilligan’s friendship 

and support. He gave me my first job in 

public service as a legislative fellow, 

an experience that inspired my work in 

government and politics. 

It has been a real privilege for me to 

work over the years with Bob, and I 

would like to congratulate Speaker 

Bob Gilligan on an outstanding career 

and wish him well in his retirement. 

f 

CONGRATULATING DR. JAMES J. 

LINKSZ 

(Mr. FITZPATRICK asked and was 

given permission to address the House 

for 1 minute.) 

Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I 

rise today to commend and congratulate Dr. James J. Linksz on the occasion of his retirement from his post as 

president of the Bucks County Community College in the Commonwealth of 

Pennsylvania. 

As its president for the last 20 years, 

Dr. Linksz has led the community college through some of its most ambitious expansions, including new investments in technology, the addition of 

distance-learning courses, and impressive updates to campus buildings and 

infrastructure. 

William Arthur Wood once said the 

mediocre teacher tells, the good teacher explains, the superior teacher demonstrates, and the great teacher inspires. During his time at Bucks County Community College, Dr. Linksz has 

inspired countless students through his 

leadership and dedication to providing 

men and women of all ages from Bucks 

County with a quality education. 

On behalf of the people in Pennsylvania’s Eighth Congressional District, I 

thank Dr. Linksz for his service to the 

community, and I wish him the best of 

luck in all of his future endeavors. 

f 

PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT AND 

INVESTMENT TAX CREDIT 

(Mr. KEATING asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise to 

reiterate my support for the wind production tax credit and the investment 

tax credit for offshore wind. 

The production tax credit has encouraged nearly $20 billion in nationwide private investment annually over 

the last 5 years, while the ITC serves as 

the most fundamental Federal tax incentive for offshore wind development. 

As we promote investments that will 

reduce our dependence on foreign oil 

and serve as a central part in our fight 

against climate change, it’s essential 

to remember the spillover of job creation and specialized expertise that 

will follow. 

In Massachusetts, we’ve witnessed 

firsthand the critical economic development opportunities of renewable energy projects provided to our States. 

Our region has undergone an economic 

regeneration with the development of 

Cape Wind, the Nation’s first offshore 

wind fund. From the Port of New Bedford, which will serve as the staging 

area for turbine assembly, to the ferry 

captains who will provide eco-tours of 

the turbines, few communities will not 

be benefited by this. 

Massachusetts is already recognized 

as one of the top three States for clean 

energy. We’re home to nearly 5,000 individual clean energy companies, and 

nearly 2 percent of all Massachusetts 

jobs are now in this field. 

It’s important, as we go forward, that 

we not let this void occur, and we fill 

it with jobs made in America. 

f 

WIND PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT 

(Mr. POLIS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 

minute and to revise and extend his remarks.) 

Mr. POLIS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 

as a member of the House Sustainable 

Energy and Environmental Coalition 

to call on Congress to renew the wind 

production tax credit. 

The wind production tax credit provides a small tax incentive to wind 

companies to produce clean domestic 

energy. This tax incentive promotes investment, creates jobs, and encourages 

deployment of wind energy. At the end 

of this year, the wind production tax 

credit expires unless Congress acts. 

This tax credit is essential to level 

the playing field for wind energy. For 

instance, the oil and gas industry gets 

around $40 billion in subsidies over 10 

years. If we can eliminate oil and gas 

subsidies, let’s do it. If not, we need to 

renew the wind production tax credit. 

The tax credit supports 5,000 jobs in 

Colorado and 75,000 jobs nationally. We 

cannot afford to lose these jobs. 

Both Democrats and Republicans, 

Senators and House Members agree we 

need to extend this commonsense tax 

credit. I urge my colleagues to work 

together to extend the wind production 

tax credit to protect and grow America’s thriving wind industry. 

f 

EXTEND THE WIND CREDIT NOW 

(Mr. LOEBSACK asked and was given 

permission to address the House for 1 

minute.) 

Mr. LOEBSACK. Mr. Speaker, I join 

my colleagues in the Senate to highlight an important issue to Iowa, the 

wind production tax credit. It expires 

this year, as has been mentioned, and 

must be extended immediately. 

Inaction has already led to job losses 

in Iowa and threatens thousands of 

more jobs in our State. The PTC actually has its roots in Iowa and bipartisanship. Senator GRASSLEY worked for 

its creation, and it has long had bipartisanship support. Last month, the 

Senate passed a bipartisanship package 

that included the wind credit. It’s past 

time for the House to act. 

Iowa is the second-largest producer 

of wind energy, and turbine manufacturing involves about 200 companies 

and 6,000 good paying jobs for Iowans. 

As we struggle to recover from the 

worst recession since the Great Depression, Congress cannot play games with 

people’s jobs and pull the rug out from 

an industry employing thousands. 

Congress must extend the wind credit 

now before more jobs are lost. 

f 

THE ENERGY FUTURE OF 

AMERICA 

(Mr. GARAMENDI asked and was 

given permission to address the House 

for 1 minute and to revise and extend 

his remarks.) 

Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, 

today is a day of reflection and sadness, and also determination and resolve. The tragic killing of our Ambassador in Libya and his staff should remind us all of the dangers that exist 

around the world. So we offer our prayers to the families and to the survivors. 

We also need to think about the future in America and about the necessity for developing alternative energy 

systems. The production tax credit for 

wind is absolutely essential. I represent two major wind farms, one in 

Solano and the other in Alameda County. Thousands of jobs across this Nation will be lost unless we extend the 

wind tax credit. Keep in mind that for 

a century we have subsidized the oil 

and gas industry. It’s time for us to 


pwalker on DSK7TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE