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.
“ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Energy was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E796-E797 on April 27, 2005.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2005
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speech of
HON. TODD TIAHRT
of kansas
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 21, 2005
The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 6) to ensure jobs for our future with secure, affordable, and reliable energy;
Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6, the Energy Policy Act of 2005. This comprehensive energy bill is a bipartisan effort to bring lower energy prices to consumers while spurring our economy toward growth for the future. Hundreds of thousands of jobs will be created, energy conservation will be promoted and our environment will be cleaner as a result of the policies in this bill.
House Republicans have a track record of passing energy legislation in both the 107th Congress and the 108th Congress. But we were unfortunately not able to get a bill to the President due to unwillingness by Senate Democrats.
I am hopeful this year will be different and that Congress will finally pass an energy policy that will take our country forward. I know Kansans in my district are tired of paying high prices for gasoline, and they want a good energy bill passed soon. The longer we wait to pass a national energy plan, the longer it will take to counter rising energy costs. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 is a huge step in the right direction and will help both the public and private sector address our energy needs for years to come.
H.R. 6 promotes clean coal technology and provides incentives for renewable energies such as ethanol, biomass, wind, solar and hydroelectricity.
I am very pleased H.R. 6 includes a Renewable Fuels Standard that will help introduce up to five billion gallons a year by 2012. The more ethanol and biodiesel is used by drivers across America, the cleaner our air will be. Plus, we will be providing America's farming communities with alternative income opportunities for commodities such as corn and soybeans.
I have spoken to numerous Kansas farmers who say over and over again that the ethanol provisions contained in the energy bill are good for our struggling rural communities. Many counties and small towns in Kansas have faced years of declining populations. Whenever we can provide increased economic opportunities for rural communities while providing for our nation's energy needs, we create a win-win situation.
Another promising renewable energy source is wind energy. There are plenty of places in the great State of Kansas where landowners are eager and willing to work with private investors to capture this abundant natural resource and turn it into usable energy. Anyone who has visited our State will know we have plenty of wind. By reauthorizing the Renewable Energy Production Incentive program to provide renewable energy production incentives for wind, we are giving landowners and businesses the assistance needed to tap into this underutilized energy source.
This legislation also establishes a Department of Energy rebate program for renewable energy systems installed in homes or small businesses. And the Federal Government is directed to use more renewable energy in future years with a goal of using 7.5 percent or more by 2013.
By promoting forms of renewable energy, we are helping move our country toward a more sustainable energy future.
In addition to promoting renewable energy sources and looking toward the future, this energy bill also addresses the realities of our energy needs today. Americans everywhere are frustrated with high gasoline prices. One of the contributing factors to high fuel prices is the fact that the United States has not built a large-scale refinery in over 20 years. And since 1981, half of the refineries have been shut down. When we not only cease building new refineries, but we reduce the number of facilities needed to produce fuel, it is no wonder gasoline prices continue to steadily rise.
H.R. 6 helps address rising fuel costs by providing an accelerated review and approval process for new refinery facilities in a refinery revitalization zone. The energy bill designates certain areas as refinery revitalization zones based on a region's previous refining or manufacturing experience and current unemployment rate.
The United States depends on foreign sources of oil for 62 percent of our Nation's supply, and that percentage is projected to increase to 75 percent within 5 years. Not only is our demand for oil rising, but global crude oil demand is increasing, particularly in countries like China. We must take action to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
This energy bill has several provisions that help us do just that. It expands our domestic supply by increasing domestic oil and gas exploration and development on non-park Federal lands. And by requiring five billion gallons of renewable fuel by 2012, we will save 1.6 billion barrels of oil by 2012.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 promotes a cleaner environment by encouraging new innovations and the use of alternative power sources by launching a state-of-the-art program to enable hydrogen fuel cell cars to compete in the marketplace by 2020. This is just one example of how we are encouraging ideas to move from conception to application in the marketplace.
H.R. 6 requires the Department of Energy to develop a plan outlining technical milestones as well as technical and non-technical hurdles to hydrogen vehicles and their associated infrastructure. The hydrogen program is to be conducted as a partnership between public and private enterprises to address the production of hydrogen from diverse sources.
Hydrogen can be produced from fossil fuels, hydrogen-carrier fuels and renewable energy resources, including biomass and nuclear energy. The program also addresses pipeline hydrogen transmission, convenient refueling, advanced vehicle technologies, hydrogen storage and the development of necessary codes and standards.
The legislation authorizes $200 million for the ``Clean Cities'' program, which will provide grants to state and local governments to acquire alternative fueled vehicles.
H.R. 6 will improve our Nation's electricity transmission capacity and reliability. By providing for expedited siting processes on both Federal and private lands, transmission lines will be able to be more efficiently and quickly placed so power can be transmitted across the country. The bill also greatly improves the operation and reliability of electric transmission networks by providing for open access to transmission lines not previously subject to the same open access requirements. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is directed to do an incentive rate rulemaking and to provide for participant funding.
The Energy Policy Act of 2005 promotes investment in the electric sector by repealing existing Public Utility Holding Company Act requirements and replacing them with authority for Federal and State regulators to examine relevant books and records.
H.R. 6 promotes more natural gas exploration. Many Kansans rely on natural gas to fuel stoves, furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers and even backyard barbeques. Natural gas is the cleanest fossil fuel, resulting in approximately 50 percent less carbon dioxide than coal and a third less carbon dioxide than oil. But those who rely on this energy source have seen their bills skyrocket.
Provisions in H.R. 6 allow for more natural gas exploration and development by providing royalty relief for deep and ultra-deep gas wells in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Improved access to North America's abundant natural gas resources will help reduce high utility bills, create jobs and provide more than $500 million of increased revenues for the U.S. economy.
Businesses depend on natural gas to produce steel, glass, paper, clothing, aluminum, brick and most importantly, electricity. Even farmers rely on it to produce fertilizer needed for the crops that ultimately become food on our tables. And cities rely on natural gas to comply with tough air quality standards.
H.R. 6 also extends daylight savings time by two months. This extension will reduce energy consumption by the equivalent of 100,000 barrels of oil each day. Studies indicate the proposal to adopt extended daylight savings time from the first Sunday in March to the last Sunday in November will lower crime and traffic fatalities. This provision will also give families more daylight hours to enjoy outdoor recreation and opportunity for increased economic activity.
If America wants to be more competitive globally, we must pass a comprehensive energy bill that allows businesses to operate with sustainable, low-cost forms of energy. H.R. 6 moves us in that direction, and I urge my colleagues to help make America more competitive by voting for the Energy Policy Act of 2005.
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