Date: 2013-07-09
Speaker: EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I am offering this amendment to restore the significant cuts to the critical science and energy research and development programs that were made in this bill. including an 80 percent cut to ARPAE and a 50 percent cut to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. These programs. along with the Department of Energys Office of Science. are vital to our national security. our economy. and our environment in the decades to come. It is really worth us thinking about the fact that we have seen how government research can pay off when it comes to energy development. DOEsupported research was key to the development of highefficiency gas turbines. for coal plants. nuclear reactors developed at Federal labs. and the directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing practices that have led to the shale gas boom today. But we should remember that those achievements require decades of Federal investment. the overwhelming majority of which was focused on fossil and nuclear energy. I continue to support research to make todays technologies cleaner and more efficient. but I believe that it is time for a level playing field. I introduce a real competition to our markets. That is where the priorities set by Congress come into play. We have to find the greatest value for our investment of the taxpayer dollar. Today. it is the emerging energy technology sectors that can most benefit from government support. I have heard it said that this bill has been cut to the bone. and I know that. It is important that DOEs Office of Science is actually the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the country. and it 30 national scientific user facilities whose applications go well beyond energy innovation. Our Nations top researchers from industry. academia. and other Federal agencies use these facilities to examine everything from new materials. which will better meet our militarys needs. to new pharmaceuticals. which will better treat disease. to even examining the fundamental building blocks of the universe. I believe that this stewardship of unique scientific research. which includes the Nations major national user facilities. is another important role that I hope the Department will continue to make one of its highest priorities. It is no secret that Congress inability to date to come to an agreement on a sensible budget plan has led to some devastating cuts to many of these important programs. with serious impacts on our Nations future. To restore these research funds. I certainly would not wish to make these proposed cuts in my amendment which may slow down our ability to meet the Nations defense environmental cleanup obligations this year. However. I believe that these research programs are the seed corn of our future. Some things we know we have to wait to do. and perhaps we can prolong that cleanup. Yet. Mr. Chairman. I sincerely plead that we not cut this type of money from the research we have going. Research is our Nations future. We cannot give up on our Nations future. so I am hoping that we can support this amendment and allow some of this research to go forward. and I ask for support. I yield back the balance of my time.