Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, first, I commend Senator Whitehouse, my colleague from Rhode Island, for his very thoughtful leadership on this issue of education and particularly the situation where so many young people are so deeply in debt after a college education.

It was Senator Whitehouse who organized a meeting in Rhode Island. I was there and I listened to the story he just related. It is astounding, the debt these young people and in some cases middle-aged people are shouldering. We have to do something. I would like to commend and thank him for his leadership and urge a bipartisan effort in this regard.

Mr. President, I was on the floor last week, and I spoke about a series of two amendments that I was working with Senator Heller on, and they are all focused on enhancing energy storage. I thank Senator Heller for his efforts in so many ways but particularly this bipartisan effort to enhance the Energy bill that is before us. Indeed, earlier this week, we were able to pass one of these amendments, No. 2989, that we introduced together to improve coordination of Department of Energy programs and authorities in order to maximize the amount of money that goes toward energy storage research and development.

Let me particularly thank Energy and Natural Resources Committee chairperson Lisa Murkowski and ranking member Maria Cantwell for their great efforts overall and particularly for their help in getting the Reed-Heller amendment through. They have done an extraordinary job on this legislation.

As I have indicated, we have two amendments. I have also joined Senator Heller on another amendment. He is the lead author. This amendment would amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act--or PURPA, as it is known--to require industry and State regulators to consider energy storage when making their energy efficiency plans. By encouraging energy storage usage by public utilities, we will help expand the reach of this needed technology.

There are many technical, financial, and security benefits to energy storage, including: improving grid utilization by storing and moving low-cost power into higher priced markets, thereby reducing the amount we all pay on our utility bills; increasing the value and the amount of renewable energy in the grid, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and enhancing the security of the grid, thereby ensuring critical access to power in an emergency. We are all each day much more cognizant of the threat not just through natural disasters but through particular cyber intrusions which could affect our energy grid. This would be another way in which we could not only protect ourselves but respond more quickly in the case of any of these natural or manmade disasters.

I want to conclude by again thanking my colleague and friend Senator Heller and urge our colleagues to work with us in a bipartisan fashion to adopt this amendment.

With that, Mr. President, I thank you.

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