The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“SOLAR ENERGY” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H7196-H7197 on Oct. 27, 2015.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
SOLAR ENERGY
(Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)
Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, solar energy serves the national interest in a number of ways. It is reducing our reliance on fossil fuels that are causing climate change. It is helping America to become energy independent. It is creating jobs, 3,000 of them, at or near the solar plant under construction in Buffalo, New York.
Solar panels empower consumers to generate clean and affordable energy at home and to sell the extra energy that they do not use to the grid. A policy called ``net metering,'' which requires utilities to pay a fair price for this energy to the consumer, is currently in place in all but six States. It has been vital to the growth of the solar industry by providing consumers with certainty on the savings that solar will produce in their energy bill.
That is why I have introduced legislation to direct the Department of Energy to conduct a study on all of the impacts of net metering. Through a comprehensive analysis, we can ensure that regulators and policymakers have the accurate information they need to make a sound decision on whether to support consumer-generated solar energy.
____________________
