[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 120 (Wednesday, September 15, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H8318-H8319]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1655, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 
   RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND DEMONSTRATION AUTHORIZATION ACT OF 1999

  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the 
Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 289 and ask for its 
immediate consideration.
  The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:

                              H. Res. 289

       Resolved, That at any time after the adoption of this 
     resolution the Speaker may, pursuant to clause 2(b) of rule 
     XVIII, declare the House resolved into the Committee of the 
     Whole House on the state of the Union for consideration of 
     the bill (H.R. 1655) to authorize appropriations for fiscal 
     years 2000 and 2001 for the civilian energy and scientific 
     research, development, and demonstration and related 
     commercial application of energy technology programs, 
     projects, and activities of the Department of Energy, and for 
     other purposes. The first reading of the bill shall be 
     dispensed with. General debate shall be confined to the bill 
     and shall not exceed one hour equally divided and controlled 
     by the chairman and ranking minority member of the Committee 
     on Science. After general debate the bill shall be considered 
     for amendment under the five-minute rule. It shall be in 
     order to consider as an original bill for purposes of 
     amendment under the five-minute rule the amendment in the 
     nature of a substitute recommended by the Committee on 
     Science now printed in the bill. Each section of the 
     committee amendment in the nature of a substitute shall be 
     considered as read. During consideration of the bill for 
     amendment, the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole may 
     accord priority in recognition on the basis of whether the 
     Member offering an amendment has caused it to be printed in 
     the portion of the Congressional Record designated for that 
     purpose in clause 8 of rule XVIII. Amendments so printed 
     shall be considered as read. The Chairman of the Committee of 
     the Whole may: (1) postpone until a time during further 
     consideration in the Committee of the Whole a request for a 
     recorded vote on any amendment; and (2) reduce to five 
     minutes time for electronic voting on any postponed question 
     that follows another electronic vote without intervening 
     business, provided that the minimum time for electronic 
     voting on the first in any series of questions shall be 15 
     minutes. At the conclusion of consideration of the bill for 
     amendment the Committee shall rise and report the bill to the 
     House with such amendments as may have been adopted. Any 
     Members may demand a separate vote in the House on any 
     amendment adopted in the Committee of the Whole to the bill 
     or to the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute. 
     The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the 
     bill and amendments thereto to final passage without 
     intervening motion except one motion to recommit with or 
     without instructions.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) 
is recognized for 1 hour.
  (Mr. HASTINGS of Washington asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of the 
debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the distinguished 
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hall), pending which I yield myself such time 
as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time 
yielded is for the purposes of debate only.
  Mr. Speaker, H. Res. 289 would grant H.R. 1655, the Department of 
Energy Research, Development and Demonstration Authorization Act of 
1999, an open rule. The rule provides for 1 hour of general debate to 
be equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Science.
  The rule provides that the bill shall be open to amendment by 
section, and it allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to 
accord priority in and recognition to Members who have preprinted their 
amendments in the Congressional Record.
  The rule also allows the Chairman of the Committee of the Whole to 
postpone votes during consideration of the bill and to reduce voting 
time to 5 minutes on a postponed question if the vote follows a 15-
minute vote. Finally, the rule provides one motion to recommit, with or 
without instructions.
  Mr. Speaker, the Department of Energy, Research Development and 
Demonstration Authorization Act of 1999 authorizes the civilian energy 
and scientific research and development programs of the Department of 
Energy for fiscal years 2000 and 2001. The bill was reported favorably 
by the Committee on Science by a vote of 31-to-1.
  Basic scientific research is the source of the new technologies and 
industries that will drive our Nation's economy in the next century. If 
America is to continue to enjoy a rising standard of living and a 
healthy economy, the United States must continue to be a leader in 
basic scientific research. The Federal Government has long had an 
important role to play in supporting these research programs, many of 
which are far too expensive for any single company or institution to 
support. H.R. 1655 recognizes the need for an aggressive research 
effort at the department of energy which has the third largest basic 
research program in the Federal Government, exceeded only by the 
National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
  Specifically, Mr. Speaker, over the next 2 years, the bill would 
authorize $885 million for research on energy supply; $5.2 billion for 
energy physics and science; $825 million for fossil energy research and 
development; and $1 billion for energy conservation research. 
Furthermore, it should be noted that the Committee on Science has 
provided clear direction to the Department of Energy that this funding 
be awarded based on merit and should be used to fund research, not 
departmental administration.
  Finally, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 1655 
would cost approximately $8 billion in budget authority and $8.25 
billion in outlays over the next 2 years.
  The Committee on Rules was pleased to grant the request of the 
gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), the chairman of the 
Committee on Science, for an open rule on H.R. 1655, and accordingly, I 
encourage my colleagues to support both H. Res. 289 and the underlying 
bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

                              {time}  1315

  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this is an open rule, and will allow full and fair 
debate on the Department of Energy Research, Development, and 
Demonstration Authorization Act of 1999.
  As my colleague, the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Hastings) has 
described, this rule provides for 1 hour of general debate, to be 
equally divided and controlled by the chairman and ranking minority 
member of the Committee on Science.
  The rule provides for amendments under the 5-minute rule, which is 
the normal amending process in the House.

[[Page H8319]]

 All Members on both sides of the aisle will have the opportunity to 
offer germane amendments.
  The bill authorizes $8 billion in fiscal years 2000 and 2001 for the 
Department of Energy's civilian research and development programs. Our 
Nation depends on energy to move our cars, to light our houses, and to 
power the machines of commerce. By making energy more efficient and 
dependable, we increase opportunities to improve quality of life. That 
is why investing in energy technology is important to our Nation's 
future.
  Recognizing the importance of renewable energy and energy efficiency, 
the President recommended a slight increase in spending on these 
research programs. Unfortunately, the committee bill kept spending for 
these programs at lower levels.
  Renewable energy, including hydro power, solar, wind, geothermal, and 
biomass, amount to about 10 percent of total domestic energy 
production. Though these technologies have become more competitive with 
traditional energy sources, there is still a need for more research in 
these new areas. By keeping spending levels down, we are taking a risk 
that we do not develop the full potential of a renewable energy and 
achieve the full benefits.
  However, this is an open rule, and Members will have a chance to 
offer amendments to improve the bill. The rule was adopted by a voice 
vote of the Committee on Rules, and I urge adoption of the rule.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. 
Traficant).
  Mr. TRAFICANT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me the 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, the new trade deficit figures are out: for the last 3-
month period, $81 billion of trade deficits, averaging now $27 billion 
a month. I do not know who else may have noticed yesterday, but the 
Singer Sewing Machine Company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy 
protection in New York City.
  The roots of the Singer Sewing Machine Company are in New York City. 
Not anymore. They are located in Hong Kong, and they make and 
manufacture their sewing machines in Brazil, Taiwan, and Japan, and no 
one in Congress or Washington is even looking at this issue. Our Tax 
Code is chasing companies away. We are making great progress with the 
electronic phenomenon that will mature, and we are looking at a down 
side here, Mr. Speaker.
  I have an amendment for each of these bills, when they spend money, 
requiring they comply with the Buy American Act and other provisions. I 
would hope that they would be accepted, but I would hope that Congress 
would begin to address a Tax Code that rewards imports, kills exports, 
and is destroying manufacturing jobs.
  Mr. HALL of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, 
and I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. HASTINGS of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests 
for time, I yield back the balance of my time, and I move the previous 
question on the resolution.
  The previous question was ordered.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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