Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007

Floor Speech

ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007 -- (House of Representatives - December 18, 2007)

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, this is a historic day for the House of Representatives; it's a historic day for the Dean of the House; it's a historic day for the leadership of this House; and it will be, I think, viewed as a very important day for America and our energy independence and for our effort to keep our environment sustainable.

I want to thank and congratulate the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee. I said this when we last considered the bill on this floor; no Member of this body has focused more on energy and energy policy, energy independence, throughout the years than has the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, Mr. Dingell.

Save for his singular focus on ensuring the health of all Americans and their availability of affordable health care, quality health care, his focus on energy and energy independence and efficient use of energy has been unmatched, and I congratulate him for that.

As he said when this bill passed out of the House, it wasn't the perfect bill. There are many of us in this House who would have hoped that the Senate would not have removed some of the items that were in this bill when it came from the House.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, this landmark bipartisan legislation, the Energy Independence and Security Act, represents a vital turning point for our Nation and a historic accomplishment for this Congress.

Today, we set a new direction for this country in the area of energy policy. Our Nation's energy policy is inextricably linked to our national security, our economic security, and our environmental well-being.

And, I have long believed that we must summon our national will, resources and ingenuity to make significant gains in technology, conservation, vehicle efficiency, and the use of alternative fuels in order to end our reliance on foreign oil and other important sources of energy. To that extent, this bill was and remains a vital national security interest.

With this legislation, we will move toward real energy independence that results in a stronger economy, more jobs, and healthier communities. The Chairs and ranking members that worked tirelessly to produce this bill are also to be congratulated.

Under the leadership of Chairman Dingell, as I have said, this bill includes historic fuel economy, renewable fuels, and energy efficiency provisions.

The increase in the fuel efficiency of vehicles to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 is the first in a generation, and is supported by environmentalists and the automobile industry, in no small part because of the work of Chairman Dingell.

Furthermore, it will result in $22 billion in net annual consumer savings by 2020 and reduce greenhouse gases in an amount equal to taking off the road 28 million of today's average cars and trucks.

Among other things, this bill will reduce our reliance on foreign oil by investing in the production and infrastructure needed to deploy homegrown biofuels. It provides incentives for plug-in hybrid cars. And it includes landmark energy efficiency provisions that will save consumers and businesses at least $300 billion through 2030.

Let no one be mistaken, this bill, while comprehensive, does not represent the totality of our energy policy. There is still much more to do, and we will be about that business.

For example, we should take up legislation to establish a renewable portfolio standard and extend the production tax credit, and do so promptly. We also should continue to work across the aisle and with the Senate to reach further consensus on issues such as the use of renewables, the development of new technologies, and the fiscally responsible extension of needed energy tax provisions.

Mr. Speaker, when we started this session, we started it on a historic note and swore in the first woman Speaker in the history of America, in the history of this House of over 200 years. As she was sworn in, we had literally scores of children who surrounded the Speaker. And she intoned that this would be the ``children's Congress,'' it would be the ``children's Congress,'' and it would look to the future, not the past. And this bill looks to the future of energy use, of energy efficiency, of energy security, and of the health of this tiny globe on which all of us survive and hopefully thrive.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is a historic turning point in America's energy policy. And I urge all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, for our children, for our future, for our security, vote for this historic piece of legislation.

I thank the gentleman for yielding me the time.

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