Providing for Consideration of H.R. 6, Energy Policy Act of 2005 - 1
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6, ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005 -- (House of Representatives - April 20, 2005)
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Texas (Mr. Sessions) is recognized for 1 hour.
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only.
Mr. Speaker, this rule being considered on the floor today is a very balanced rule that makes in order 22 Democratic amendments, three bipartisan amendments and five Republican amendments. This means that of the 30 amendments that we will be considering here on the floor over the next 2 days, over 80 percent of them have been substantially authored by a Democrat, giving the minority party a fair and public opportunity to come to the floor and debate how their dissenting views could improve this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this legislation which improves and strengthens our country's national energy policy. American prosperity and American jobs rely upon energy that is abundant, affordable and reliable.
Having access to save affordable energy is fundamental to America's success, both as a Nation and to each and every one of us as individual Americans and certainly our families.
The safe and reliable energy available here in America has brought economic growth, jobs, freedom, and the highest quality of life in human history. This is why the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), my good friend, has invested so much of his committee's time and effort in bringing a product to the floor today that takes important steps to ensuring that secure and reliable energy for our country is made available.
The legislation that we consider here on the floor today ensures that American producers can meet the demands placed upon them by consumers while also creating incentives to modernize the way we find, develop, and produce energy. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 will create jobs here in America as we promote innovation, new conservation requirements, and new domestic energy sources. Reliable sources of energy also will secure millions of existing jobs over the decades, and producing more domestic energy will mean Americans can worry less about whether the outcomes of distant conflicts will mean fewer jobs, less growth, and reduced opportunity.
Some of the most important accomplishments of this legislation include improving our Nation's electricity transmission capacity and reliability; promoting a cleaner environment by encouraging new innovations and the use of alternate power sources; promoting clean coal technology; and providing incentives for renewable energies such as biomass, wind, solar, and hydroelectricity; providing leadership in energy conservation; clarifying the Federal Government's role in siting liquified natural gas, known as LNG, facilities; decreasing America's dangerous dependence on foreign oil; and encouraging more nuclear and hydropower production.
The provisions in this legislation will also create hundreds of thousands of jobs due to the costs associated with the current high energy prices. The new jobs will be in all sectors, including manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and technology.
Another important benefit of this legislation is its crucial energy conservation and environmental protection measures that will improve the quality of life for all Americans for decades to come. Among other things that the bill will do, it will make the Federal Government a leading-edge creator and consumer of energy-efficient technologies; it will fund a state-of-the-art project and program to get hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on the road by 2020; it will improve regulation on hydroelectric dams to allow for more hydroelectric power generation while preserving existing protections for the environment; increasing funding for the Department of Energy's Clean Cities program; authorize two new Clean School Bus programs; take critical steps towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions; and will bring much-needed supplies of natural gas to the public by allowing for more natural gas exploration, transportation, and development.
Further, it will increase America's use of solar energy; it will contain a renewable fuels requirement to add 5 billion gallons per year of ethanol and other renewable-based fuel to the Nation's gasoline supply; it will provide $1.8 billion for the Clean Coal Power initiative; and it will increase funding for the Department of Transportation to continue its already very important work on incorporating average fuel economy standards.
Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of these accomplishments that are being made by this legislation and would like to take this opportunity to commend the hard work of many committee chairmen who have toiled late into the night, along with their staffs, for the production of this bill, including the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton), the gentleman from California (Chairman Pombo), the gentleman from California (Chairman Thomas), and the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert), and crafting this important legislation on behalf of American families and workers. I encourage all of my colleagues to support this very important not only fair rule but also the underlying legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker I yield myself such time as I may consume.
This bill is pro-consumer. This energy bill is pro-growth for our economy in this country. And the Republican majority owes a great deal of the strength and ability of this strong bill to a strong leader that we have, and at this time I would like to yield time to that gentleman.
Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from San Dimas, California (Mr. Dreier), chairman of the Committee on Rules.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I want to thank my colleagues on the other side of the aisle for their vigorous debate that took place, not only yesterday in the Committee on Rules. The gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton) spoke about the days and days and hours of debate and amendment process of preparing this bill.
I think we have got a good bill. I think we are going to find out when the ultimate vote comes that a vast majority of Members of this House are going to say we want to make sure that America has an energy policy, an energy policy that encourages not only conservation but also the opportunity for America to be less dependent on foreign oil, one that makes sure the Federal Government begins the process to form a critical mass in solar energy and other new technologies to make sure that America's businesses catches on to this and that we become environmentally sensitive and comprehensive in our future, but mostly that we are able to grow our economy, continue job growth, and make sure that we protect jobs that exist today.
Mr. Speaker, I think that this rule was fair. I believe that the underlying legislation is common sense. America not only wants and deserves an energy policy, but today our four committee chairmen, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert); the gentleman from California (Mr. Pombo); the gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas); and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), the chairman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, have led us down a path to where we have an opportunity to make history right in front of us, produce this bill, produce for the American public something that will help America to grow and become competitive in the world.
Mr. Speaker, I would say that I support this legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous question on the resolution.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
http://thomas.loc.gov