Gordon: Amended Energy Bill Preserves Important Committee Measures
(Washington, DC) House Committee on Science and Technology Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) issued the following statement today regarding final House passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act (H.R. 6), as amended:
“The path forward to our energy future is lined with new technologies that will diversify our energy supply with renewable sources and clean uses of fossil fuels such as coal.
This past year, the Science and Technology Committee focused on legislation to help develop the energy technologies we will need to address global climate change and reduce our dependence on foreign energy. Our Committee cleared fourteen bipartisan energy and environment research bills - a majority of which make up the core of the energy package passed today. Although this bill is a bit slimmer than the bill passed by the House last week, it still represents a significant step forward.
The bill directs new investments in solar energy, ocean and wave energy, and new geothermal technologies that can be deployed in every part of the country. It significantly expands research into biofuels, so that we realize the potential of new fuels like cellulosic ethanol. In addition, this bill will help advance energy storage technologies that are critical to more widespread use of renewable electricity and advanced batteries for vehicles. Finally, and importantly, this bill provides significant increased investment in technologies to capture and store carbon dioxide from coal-fired power plants, helping to ensure that we can continue to use our country’s vast coal supply in cleaner and more efficient ways.
This bill alone may not solve our energy and climate challenges. However, it is a critical down payment on a cleaner and more independent energy future, and I applaud its passage.”
For a complete list of the bills comprising the Committee’s contribution to the package, click here.
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