Date: 2007-12-18
Speaker: LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Florida

I would like to thank the gentleman from Vermont for the time. and I yield myself such time as I may consume. It is our duty to do all we can to provide future generations a better world in which to live. Our Nation has made great strides in protecting human health and the environment. but there is still much more to do. We must continue to decrease carbon emissions and invest in multiple forms of energyefficient technologies to help preserve the environment and lessen our dependence on foreign energy sources. For our national security. we must make investments to increase clean energy sources and increase domestic energy supplies. From 2001 to 2006. Republicanled Congresses invested nearly $12 billion to develop cleaner. cheaper. and more reliable domestic energy sources. They included the development of biofuels such as cellulosic ethanol. advanced hybrid and plugin. hybrid electric vehicle technologies. hydrogen fuel cell technologies. wind and solar energy. clean coal and advanced nuclear technologies. The underlying legislation. the Renewable Fuels. Consumer Protection and Energy Efficiency Act of 2007. further promotes research and development into nextgeneration energy resources such as solar. wind. geothermal and marine energy. Furthermore. it authorizes almost $3 billion for energy storage and development programs to make renewable energy sources more effective. But we must keep in mind that right now. alternative fuels will not eliminate the need for traditional energy sources. and without additional supply. the tight market conditions that have put pressure on prices are going to persist. I am pleased that incentives for the domestic production of oil and gas have been retained in this final legislation. These incentives are aimed at reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil by encouraging domestic exploration and production oPoil and natural gas. Removal of these incentives. which were included in earlier versions of this legislation. would have driven up the costs of oil and natural gas to American consumers even further and increased our dependence on foreign suppliers such as the strongman/clown in Venezuela. Hugo Chavez. I am also pleased that a provision that would have taxed domestic oil companies at higher rates than the Chavezcontrolled oil company was removed. This legislation also provides for the HPrize. The HPrize will award cash prices to individuals. universities and businesses making significant advances in the field of hydrogen energy. Hydrogen is a clean domestic energy source that produces no emissions other than water. The use of hydrogen as an energy source will simultaneously reduce dependence on foreign oil and emissions of greenhouse gases- and other pollutants. Unfortunately. this bill has taken almost a year to make it "to the Presidents desk because the majority decided to shut out the minority from deliberations for much of the year. When this bill first came before the House in the opening days of the 110th Congress. the majority blocked all amendments with a closed rule. In August when we considered H.R. 3221. the majority shut out over 90 amendments and allowed only five minority amendments out of 23 amendments. Just last week. we considered Senate amendments to H.R. 6. and once again the majority blocked the minority from providing amendments. If the majority had just decided to follow its campaign promise and allow the minority to participate in the formulation of this legislation. this bill could have been signed into law months ago. I would also point out that the majority brings this legislation to the floor as a Senate amendment instead of as a conference report. As such. it fits into one of the loopholes of the majoritys earmark rule. just as it did last week. Because the earmark rule did not apply to the legislation last week. it wasnt possible to find out that the bill contained earmarks until after the bill passed the- House. So we wonder if the legislation we are considering today also contains earmarks. Unfortunately. we will not know. because the legislation is not subject to the earmark rule. Mr. Speaker. I reserve the balance of my time.