United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Act

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, America is grateful for Mrs. Lowey's years of honorable, dedicated, and enlightened service. We will so miss her leadership, bright smile, and affable nature.

I would also like to thank Ranking Member Simpson, who has been a constant and truly valued partner, as well as our wonderful subcommittee staff: Jaime Shimek, Scott McKee, Mark Arnone, Farouk Ophaso, and Mike Brain, who have labored tirelessly to produce this bill.

The Energy and Water division of this bill captures the American spirit of ingenuity and national energy independence. It provides the foundation of critical investments to meet the challenge of climate change, to which $12 billion, or 24 percent of our overall bill, is dedicated. Without question, our Energy and Water bill is this year's most important climate change legislation, with our overall bill dedicated to sustaining life on Earth.

Instead of the President's shortsighted and devastating cuts, our bill invests in the future to meet serious national priorities: real jobs, as we achieve building back better by providing $7.8 billion for the tremendous Army Corps of Engineers, $145 million above 2020; real innovation to invest into the future in partnership with our universities and private-sector innovators; providing $39.6 billion for the Department of Energy, $1 billion above 2020; real security within the Department of Energy, as we responsibly fund a nuclear deterrent while boosting nonproliferation.

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, we achieve real impact, as our bill increases the Department's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program, ARPA-E, Advanced Energy Research, and the Office of Science.

In sum, the Energy and Water division of this bill invests in innovative programs to yield future opportunities for new-age jobs.

I don't support the cuts in the ATVM program related to advanced technology for vehicles, but I will say that I support the legislation overall and believe that our bill is needed more than ever to heal our Nation and advance our leadership globally.

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