Energy And Water Development And Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2010
Floor Speech
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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I commend my colleague from Tennessee for his ingenuity, creativity, but not necessarily for his wisdom. I don't agree with this amendment, and I am going to oppose it and urge my colleagues to do the same.
The U.S. Government never wanted to get in the automobile business. President Obama has said that. He said he will not run these companies. That is not why he ran for President. What he tried to do is to save some major companies in America and, more importantly, save jobs as well. What he tried to do was create incentives for the companies to make some decisions they needed to make: Chrysler to ally with Fiat for the future; General Motors to basically gear down the number of cars they are going to make and the number of brands, try to be a leaner company that is going to be more responsive to American consumers. That is why we are in the automobile business. The President, nor any member of his Cabinet, is not sitting down on a day-to-day basis making decisions when it comes to the future of the automobile companies.
The Senator from Tennessee wants to take the taxpayers' investment in General Motors and other companies and basically turn it into a couple shares of stock, maybe 10, 20--I am not sure--for every American. That may be an approach, but I don't think it is one that is well thought out. What happens then at the next General Motors shareholders meeting, after Senator Alexander's wish comes true? Who stands up to the management of the company? Does each of us give up a day of work and go to the meeting to sit down and help make these decisions? Not likely. What is more likely to occur is that the ownership of General Motors will feel no obligation. This stock ownership being distributed across America is going to dilute the impact of shareholder rights and the impact of shareholder power. I would rather have at least the prospect and the possibility that if the administration and management of General Motors goes too far in one direction, they know that TARP, the money being spent there, is going to be a factor they have to take into consideration.
What could they possibly do that would enrage the taxpayers of America who have saved their company? They could do what some of the banks did: They could declare multimillion-dollar bonuses for the people who work for them. What is holding them back? Their largest lender, the U.S. Government, which doesn't exactly like that idea, as most Americans do not. This is going to end up liberating General Motors in many respects--maybe some positive but also some negative, terrible decisions which they could make with impunity after the amendment passes.
There is a reason this was defeated in the Appropriations Committee. There is a reason it should be defeated on the floor of the Senate. Before we embark on this idea of providing a couple shares of stock to every citizen, we ought to step back and ask ourselves: Is this the best outcome to make sure this company and its workers' and retirees' rights survive or is this kind of an ingenuous, creative idea that ought to be thought through? This needs to be kept in the pot, boiling on the stove a little bit longer, before we decide we are going to embark on what is a first of its kind in America. Every example Senator Alexander gave involved shareholders receiving shares in companies. They weren't given to the public at large, which is what he is proposing here. That is a dramatic difference. We are diluting the impact on the shareholders with the Alexander amendment. I hope my colleagues will join me in opposing it.
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Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water Development appropriations bill provides important funding for the Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies.
This bill starts to make good on our efforts to develop new sources of energy--clean energy, that creates jobs and cuts back on greenhouse gas emissions.
The bill would provide $2.23 billion for the Department of Energy's energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
For many families in Illinois and across the Nation, energy costs are a big part of the budget.
Adding insulation, sealing leaks, or upgrading the furnace can help families cut their energy bills by 30 percent--sometimes more.
The weatherization program at the Department of Energy has helped more than 6 million low-income households seal up their homes.
But many more families are eligible for this help. The President has set a goal of weatherizing 1 million American homes annually.
This bill includes $200 million to help meet that target.
This bill also puts $200 million into R&D to produce buildings that produce as much energy as they consume.
And another $50 million is included for the State Energy Program to help States adopt new energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.
The bill increases funding for research and development on clean energy technologies to power our cars, homes, and businesses.
One of the most promising areas is the $235 million dedicated to developing electricity and high-performance fuels from agricultural and forestry residues, municipal solid waste, industrial waste, crops, and algae.
These homegrown energy sources could help us reduce carbon emissions, and the research on these fuels is creating economic opportunities in Illinois and across the country.
And to bring alternative energies mainstream, the bill provides $255 million for R&D on solar energy, $85 million for wind; $50 million for geothermal; and $60 million for water power energy.
To make use of all this new power, we need to overhaul the Nation's electric grid.
We need new transmission lines to transport energy from wind farms to population centers. We need more research on energy storage so that electricity will be available when it is needed, not just when the Sun shines or the wind blows.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act took a giant step toward modernizing the electric grid and integrating renewable energy sources.
This appropriations bill builds on that effort, with $180 million to make the grid more modern, reliable and secure.
America gets more than half its electricity from coal. We have over 600 coal-based power plants--along with many thousands of power and industrial facilities--that all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
Most of these facilities will remain in service for 10 to 30 years to meet our energy demands, and new facilities will be constructed.
That is a reality. So we have to pursue research and development into how we can use fossil energy in a cleaner way.
Funding programs within the Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy will allow us to accelerate fossil energy research.
The investments made in this bill will help us shift to a clean energy
economy, strengthen our national security against the threats that energy dependence creates, and protect the environment.
The Department of Energy is the largest source of Federal funding for basic physical science research in the United States.
The bill increases funding for the Department's Office of Science to $4.899 billion. This funding will support the good work undertaken at Argonne and Fermi National Laboratories in Illinois, as well as research at laboratories and universities across the Nation.
This bill provides $5.125 billion for the Army Corps of Engineers.
The Corps provides quality, responsive engineering services to the country. The Corps provides planning, designing, building and operating water resources. It also designs and manages the construction of military facilities for the Army and Air Force.
Every year, the Corps carries out a variety of projects through its Civil Works Program, from environmental protection and restoration to controlling flood damage.
Traveling through my State of Illinois, the work of the Corps is evident. The best place to start is the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan.
For the past decade, the Corps has worked with the Chicago Park District to rebuild the deteriorating shoreline and protect millions of dollars of property, and water supplies.
The Corps has also been working in Chicago's western suburbs to address regular flooding in Des Plaines and surrounding communities. These flood control efforts will provide safety and peace of mind for thousands of property owners in affected areas.
On the western edge of the State is the mighty Mississippi River. The Rock Island and St Louis Corps districts ensure a majority of the Illinois portion of the river is navigable. Barges travel the length of the Mississippi, which provide an important transportation option for our agricultural producers.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of the Corps when considering the disaster preparedness and response efforts during the historic floods of 2008. I joined sandbagging efforts in communities that were fighting rising floodwaters, and civilian and military Corps employees were providing supplies and guidance on how to prepare for the rising waters.
The Corps' mission didn't end with the flood they have worked with the State of Illinois and FEMA to help communities recover.
The Mississippi flows south to St. Louis and my birthplace, East St. Louis. These communities are protected by several levees built and maintained by the Corps of Engineers.
In central and southern Illinois, Lake Shelbyville and Carlyle and Rend Lakes are beautiful recreational areas maintained by the Corps.
In addition to providing flood control, these areas allow for boating, camping and other activities for Illinoisans and others visiting my State. The communities around these lakes benefit as well the recreation areas boost the local economies.
In recent years, the Corps has taken a more active approach to environmental protection and restoration.
These efforts should be encouraged. The Federal Government needs to continue its investment in these areas.
Restoring wetlands can help reduce the incidence of flooding, and we need to understand that the development of acreage upstream can have significant negative impacts downstream.
The Corps' work in this area can be seen at Emiquon Refuge in Central Illinois. Since its establishment in 1993, the major habitat management efforts on Emiquon Refuge have been the restoration of the historic Illinois River floodplain and associated wildlife communities.
Through restoration of altered habitats and protection of existing areas, Emiquon Refuge will be managed to provide the diversity of native plant and animal communities found in this area prior to drainage and conversion to cropland.
I would like to thank Senator Dorgan and Senator Bennett for their hard work on this bill. They had many competing interests to consider, but the bill we are considering today is balanced. I hope the Senate can complete work on the fiscal year 2010 Energy and Water appropriations bill in a timely manner.
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