Date: 2015-12-02
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Let me express my appreciation to Chairman UPTON and Ranking Member PALLONE and the Rules Committee for allowing this amendment to come to the floor. Let me thank Chairman SESSIONS and Ranking Member SLAUGHTER of the Rules Committee as well. As I begin. let me acknowledge that I think we have a collective commitment and need to continue to assess the electric grid. According to a Department of Energy report on the economic benefits of increasing the electric grid resilience. the electric grid in the State of Texas is highly vulnerable to severe weather. cyber attacks. vandalism. and terrorism. Mr. Chairman. Texas is only an example. I hold in my hand a letter from the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs & Military Installations that has come to my attention and the House Committee on Defense and Veterans Affairs to take note of the vulnerability. I use this letter from the State to only say that other States are in the same category. That is why the Jackson Lee amendment is very relevant. because it requires a report to be promulgated upon our Nations preparedness for challenges in energy as it pertains to cyber attacks. vandalism. terrorism. and severe weather. I sit on the Homeland Security Committees Cybersecurity. Infrastructure Protection. and Security Technologies Subcommittee. and we see every day vulnerabilities to the cybersecurity or the infrastructure. The importance of this amendment was underscored. as I indicated. in a letter that I received. My amendment offers the option of the utilization of geothermal power. in addition to other renewable strategies. to address some of the energy insecurities faced by this Nation. In todays world of natural and manmade disasters in the energy sector. seeking and implementing complementary alternative measures. such as that proposed in my amendment. will help address some of the insecurity issues triggered by these disasters. The natural disasters suffered in many of our home States. whether it is tornados or hurricanes. we know that the grid is an important survival asset for the Nation. According to the DOE report. the average yearly cost of power outages from severe weather in the U.S. is between $18 billion to $33 billion. Cold weather in a number of States caused two emergencies that knocked out 9.355 megawatts. These events warn us that key infrastructure facilities along the Gulf Coast and many other places continue to stress our grid. Thus. this amendment seeks to facilitate the United States exploration of possibilities. strategies. and utilities of promoting energy infrastructure. I would ask my colleagues to join me in ensuring through this report that we are in front of it. if we can be. to strengthen our electric grid. to look for alternatives. to be ahead of cybersecurity attacks. vandalism. weather conditions. and assure the American public that they do have a resilient system that will last during times of great disaster. I ask my colleagues to support the amendment. Mr. Chair. let me express my appreciation to Chairman UPTON and Ranking Member PALLONE for their leadership and commitment to American energy infrastructure development. security. independence and economic growth. I also wish to thank Chairman SESSIONS. Ranking Member SLAUGHTER. and the members of the Rules Committee for making in order Jackson Lee Amendment Number 9. Mr. Chair. thank you for the opportunity to explain my amendment. which provides: