Energy and Environment Subcommittee Markup -- H.R. 3775

Opening Statement By Chairman Nick Lampson

Good afternoon.

Today the Subcommittee will consider three bills.

The first is the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Act introduced yesterday by Chairman Gordon.

As we learned in the hearing last week, an aggressive research program to accelerate the development of batteries and other energy storing technologies is essential to achieving greater energy efficiency and emission reductions in the utility and transportation sectors. Chairman Gordon’s bill, which incorporates many features of an energy bill introduced earlier in this Congress by Ranking Member Hall, will ensure that we move these important technologies forward and support a vigorous domestic industrial capability in this area.

The second bill is the Industrial Energy Efficiency Research and Development Act.

I introduced this legislation yesterday after circulating a discussion draft of the bill at the end of September. If we want to maintain a competitive, domestic industrial economy we must find ways to enable energy-intensive industries to become more energy efficient and to diversify the fuel and raw materials they use to manufacture their products. Competition for energy and materials is increasing and driving up prices for these inputs. The Industrial Technology Program at the Department of Energy has been working in partnership with industries across the country to achieve these important goals, but we must do more.

Finally, we will consider H.R. 1834 introduced by our Colleague on the Natural Resources Committee, Rep. Saxton.

The National Ocean Exploration and National Undersea Research Program Act will expand our knowledge of the oceans and provide basic information about the vast resources of the seas. The ocean and coastal areas of our nation support significant economic activity in a wide variety of areas. But in many respects, the oceans remain a mystery with many areas unexplored. Rep. Saxton’s legislation provides the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration with the authorities and direction to support a vigorous ocean exploration program. We will continue to work with our colleagues on the Natural Resources Committee to move this legislation forward.

I urge the Members of the Subcommittee to support all three of these bills, and I look forward to continue working with all of you as these bills go forward.