Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 1534, the Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, or more simply known as the IMPACT Act, which is a lot easier to say.

I introduced this bill with my Science Committee colleague Mrs. Foushee because we understand that the production of cement, concrete, and asphalt play a fundamental role in supporting United States infrastructure, national defense, and economic security.

The cement and concrete industry contributes over $130 billion to the United States economy and employs over 577,000 people. In Ohio alone, this industry has an economic contribution of $4.6 billion to the State.

It is no secret that the processes behind these products are extremely difficult to decarbonize and that American cement and concrete manufacturers must compete in a market that increasingly values lower carbon products. The leading companies and associations of this industry have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050 and have made impressive progress thus far, reducing their carbon footprint by 21 percent since 2014.

However, more progress can be made. With projected demand for cement expected to increase 12 percent by 2050, utilizing the best scientific resources of the Federal Government will help manufacturers further reduce emissions of the products essential to our economy and civilization.

The IMPACT Act will support those resources while strengthening and enhancing the competitiveness of American manufacturing through advanced technologies that can be exported around the globe.

We all want to see cement, concrete, and asphalt production continue to rise and help grow our country. That is critical to our economic well-being. We all want to see this growth go hand in hand with environmental stewardship, leaving our air and water just as pristine for the next generation.

The IMPACT Act builds on previous industrial decarbonization efforts by focusing specifically on cement, concrete, and asphalt. It enables industry and the Department of Energy to work collaboratively on fundamental research that will enhance existing production methods and unlock new, innovative techniques. This will ensure that the world- class tools and technologies at DOE are being used by the very taxpayers who funded them.

It also enables DOE, in consultation with other Federal agencies, to offer technical assistance to entities seeking to promote the commercial application of low-emission cement, concrete, and asphalt. This ensures that industry can continue their cutting-edge research unencumbered, but if they do hit a roadblock, there are subject matter experts available to assist them.

This bill is the perfect example of how the Federal Government can advance tangible environmental goals for construction material production without sacrificing material performance or, more importantly, economic growth that benefits every single citizen throughout our country.

I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Foushee) for cosponsoring this bill and working in a bipartisan fashion to get it here today. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.

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