Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act

Floor Speech

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Mrs. FOUSHEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7685, the bipartisan Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, or the IMPACT Act, which will boost the competitiveness of American manufacturing through innovation and development of technologies to decarbonize and improve the efficiency of cement, concrete, and asphalt production.

The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our lifetime, and it is critical that we continue to take significant strides to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors.

Globally, we know that concrete accounts for 8 percent of all carbon emissions, but we can reduce pollution in the cement and concrete production process right now by creating new innovation and manufacturing opportunities here at home that can take the place of aging processes based on fossil fuels.

This bill marks a critical step forward to innovate and decarbonize America's concrete and asphalt sectors, and it will enable partnerships between industry, innovators, and the U.S. Government to enhance existing production methods, unlock new and innovative techniques, and offer technical assistance to entities seeking to promote the application of low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt.

The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, where we know that our Nation is poised to play a critical role in reducing industrial emissions through modernizing our manufacturing processes and implementing clean technology strategies.

This can be seen in my own district, North Carolina's Fourth, where local startup Biomason is helping lead the way in advancing low-carbon concrete and asphalt production.

Just earlier this year, I was proud to join the first-ever White House Concrete Innovation Summit, with innovators, researchers, startups, industry, and leaders from across the country, to further build consensus on our path forward for a more sustainable future.

As we consider the future of American R&D, we must prioritize investments and advancement in materials, science, and manufacturing by fostering and building out an innovation pipeline that creates good- paying, clean American jobs and enhances our competitiveness on the world stage, and this bill does just that.

This bill will also help to achieve measurable and meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions, improve public health, and modernize the current manufacturing processes of sustainable building materials that are essential for our Nation's infrastructure.

I am glad to join Representative Max Miller in sponsoring the IMPACT Act, which passed through the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology unanimously. I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation, which will prioritize innovation in clean manufacturing and production to improve public health and protect our planet.

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