America Competes Reauthorization Act of 2015

Floor Speech

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to address an issue of national security.

The Department of Defense is the world's largest institutional consumer of fuel. As a result, the volatility of oil prices directly affects military readiness. Every $10 increase on a barrel of oil costs the Department of Defense an additional $1.3 billion a year.

To reduce our military's and our Nation's dependence on a single source of fuel, the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture have been working closely over the past 4 years with the private sector to scale up an advanced ``drop-in'' biofuel production capability.

One of those projects is in Lakeview, Oregon, where a forest biomass plant will produce fuel for the U.S. Navy and Marines. It is one of three companies selected by the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture to produce cost-competitive drop-in military biofuels. Once at scale, these biorefineries will have a combined capacity to produce 100 million gallons of fuel for military ships and planes while reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent compared to conventional fuels.

Our military and Nation are faced with a growing global demand for energy. We need to have a greater emphasis on renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies. Yet, without any apparent logic, this bill would prohibit the Department of Energy--the lead agency with deep, technical expertise in this area--from partnering with the Department of Defense to develop biofuels.

The amendment that I am offering strikes this prohibition and would allow the Departments of Energy and Defense to continue their efforts to learn from each other's expertise.

Mr. Chairman, I will introduce into the Record a letter opposing the prohibition from the Truman National Security Project, where they note--these are retired military--that 4 years of partnership between the Departments of Defense, Energy, and Agriculture have seen impressive progress in the development of advanced drop-in biofuels that will allow the military to turn away from an outdated fuel source. Members of the military from every rank and service have spoken out in favor of the continued investment in biofuels for the reasons of cost and capability.

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Ms. BONAMICI. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding.

I rise today in support of the substitute amendment to H.R. 1806 and focus on one issue. The underlying bill would set a harmful new precedent by authorizing funding at the directorate level.

Currently, funding levels for the National Science Foundation for each directorate are based on strategic priorities and science-based recommendations from the National Science Board. This is how it should be and how it remains under the substitute amendment.

By setting authorization levels according to directorate, this bill would limit the flexibility NSF needs to set strategic priorities and adapt and capitalize on unanticipated discoveries.

I share the concerns of many experts that the underlying bill would reduce authorized funding levels for specific directorates: the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences and the Directorate for Geosciences.

Some of this funding has been used, for example, for Oregon State University to conduct research on ocean acidification. It has also been used critically to support the work in Oregon to develop our understanding of the risks posed by a Cascadia subduction zone earthquake. Other examples are around the country.

In summary, the underlying bill diminishes the ability of the National Science Foundation to make strategic science-based decisions.

I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting the substitute amendment.

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