[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 112 (Friday, August 3, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1564-E1565]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              SECURING AMERICA'S FUTURE ENERGY ACT OF 2001

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 1, 2001

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4) to 
     enhance energy conservation, research and development and to 
     provide for security and diversity in the energy supply for 
     the American people, and for other purposes.

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Chairman, I rise to offer comments on 
H.R. 4, the Securing America's Future Energy Act of 2001. However, 
first I would like to thank House Science Committee Chairman Boehlert 
and Ranking Member Hall for their leadership in producing a bipartisan 
energy bill from the Committee.
  The first hearing held by the Full Science Committee in the 107th 
Congress was on the issue of our nation's energy future. It was 
appropriate that the Committee review closely all portions of the 
Administration's energy plan in light of the heavy burden placed on the 
fiscal resources of the federal government because of the $1.2 Trillion 
tax cut.
  We can all agree that the United States does need to develop a long-
term national energy policy. Our nation's energy priorities should 
remain constant regardless of the changing dynamics of energy supply. 
However, there are many facets to our nation's energy needs.
  This nation is comprised of producer states and consumer states who 
must work together in order to resolve future energy needs. The energy 
portfolio for our nation must include fossil fuels, renewables, and 
nuclear power.
  The bill that is before us today is a compilation of several efforts 
on the part of four separate House Committees to craft a national 
energy plan. The Science Committee contributed

[[Page E1565]]

to this effort through enhanced research and development in oil and gas 
exploration, support of renewable energy, and increased opportunities 
for new technology on conservation, and a strong support of the 
environment. Rather then this disregard of the environment, we should 
work together to protect our precious environment.
  I strongly believe that the best approach to our nation's energy 
needs is one of bipartisan cooperation with a goal of ensuring long-
term commitments to a national energy plan that reducing dependence on 
foreign sources of energy and enhances our Nation's productivity. For 
this reason, we must explore the potential that renewable energy 
technologies have to contribute to fulfilling an increasing part of the 
nation's energy demand and how that can occur, while increasing the 
economies, that can be reached through more efficient and 
environmentally sound extraction, transportation, and processing 
technologies.
  I had an amendment that was incorporated into the final bill offered 
for inclusion into H.R. 4 that created a Secondary Electric Vehicle 
Battery Use Program in the Department of Energy. This new program is 
designed to demonstrate the use of batteries previously only used in 
transportation applications in secondary applications, including 
utility and commercial power storage and power quality. The program 
would also evaluate the performance of these batteries, including their 
longevity of useful service life and costs, as well as the required 
supporting infrastructure to support their widespread use.
  I found that at the ``end-of-useful-life'' of a battery system that 
is used in an electric vehicle (EV), that battery system still retains 
80 percent of its initial capacity. However, the battery system is no 
longer useful in the EV because it has lost power capabilities that are 
required to run the vehicle effectively. In many electric utility 
applications, only the capacity from a battery, not capability, is 
required. This situation presents an opportunity for furthering the use 
of electric vehicles while finding a secondary market for the batteries 
used for transportation purposes.
  The high vehicle prices for the initial series of electric vehicles, 
along with a lack of consumer familiarity and limited driving range, 
have greatly restricted consumer acceptance and prevent successful 
market penetration. In turn, manufacturers refuse to produce greater 
numbers of EVs, having reached conclusions that the costs are too high 
and the market too limited. The cycle of high costs and limited sales 
is broken only if costs are reduced and/or volume is increased 
dramatically. While it is estimated that prices for batteries begin to 
fall when the volume reaches 10,000 packs per year, auto manufacturers 
believe that volume alone cannot address the prohibitive costs of 
advanced technology batteries necessary to create consumer demand for 
EVs because the materials needed for such batteries (e.g., nickel) 
are expensive. Currently, there are a total of approximately 4,000 EVs 
on U.S. roads.

  To assure volume sales of EVs, a dramatic reduction in the cost of 
batteries is required. An innovative approach to addressing this issue 
may be to ``extend'' the life--or value--of the batteries beyond 
vehicular use. Once the batteries have been ``used'' in a vehicle, 
there is an opportunity to refurbish, then ``re-use'' the batteries in 
a stationary application. For example, electric utilities could ``re-
use'' EV battery packs in peak shaving, transmission deferral, back-up 
power and transmission quality improvement applications. If 
successfully demonstrated for secondary, stationary-use applications, 
the effective price of battery systems are projected to make EVs more 
competitive.
  I along with Members of the Congressional Black Caucus have serious 
concerns regarding the balance shown in the drafting of this 
legislation. We must be sure to ensure the interest of those who have 
the least in our society. For this reason, the CBC sponsored a number 
of amendments to H.R. 4.
  Two of these amendments offered were to ensure the Low-Income Home 
Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) continues to provide help to those 
who are the most vulnerable in our society. The first amendment would 
make sure that all funds expended for LIHEAP in this bill will remain 
available until used. This amendment also adds report directives to a 
GAO report being requested to include an assessment of how a lack of 
energy conservation and efficiency education can impact on energy 
conservation of program beneficiaries. This amendment would also 
request that information on the conditions of structures that receive 
LIHEAP funds could impact energy efficiency.
  The initial GAO report only requested information on how LIHEAP funds 
discourage energy conservation, and asks how direct payments not 
associated with energy needs may effect energy conservation.
  The second LIHEAP amendment would allow program funds to be used to 
ensure the retrofitting of homes that receive federal assistance. This 
will address issues of structural problems that often exist in the 
homes of those who must sustain themselves on limited and often 
inadequate incomes. This amendment would allow homes in communities to 
retain their tax value, which would benefit the community as a whole. 
Often times homes are in need of roof repair in order to be able to 
place insulation.
  Unfortunately, the Rules Committee only found the LIHEAP amendment 
that produces a GAO study in order for consideration by the full House 
today. I would like to stress that as we make our nation's energy 
future more secure, we must make sure that every American household is 
secure in the fact that they have access to affordable and reliable 
energy.
  I believe that the effects of rising energy prices have had and will 
continue to have a chilling effect on our nation's economy. Everything 
we as consumers eat, touch or use in our day to day lives have energy 
costs added into the price we pay for the good or service. Today, our 
society is in the midst of major sociological and technical 
revolutions, which will forever change the way we live and work. We are 
transitioning from a predominantly industrial economy to an 
information-centered economy. While our society has an increasingly 
older and longer living population the world has become increasingly 
smaller, integrated and interdependent.
  As with all change, current national and international 
transformations present both dangers and opportunities, which must be 
recognized and seized upon. Thus, the question arises, how do we manage 
these changes to protect the disadvantaged, disenfranchised and 
disavowed while improving their situation and destroying barriers to 
job creation, small business, and new markets?
  One way to address this issue is to ensure that this nation becomes 
energy independent through the full utilization of energy sources 
within our nation's geographic influence.
  Today there are more than 3,800 working offshore platforms in the 
Gulf of Mexico, which are subject to rigorous environmental standards. 
These platforms result in 55,000 jobs, with over 35,000 of them located 
offshore. The platforms working in federal waters also have an 
excellent environmental record. According to the United States Coast 
Guard, for the 1980-1999 period 7.4 billion barrels of oil was produced 
in federal offshore waters with less than 0.001 percent spilled. That 
is a 99.999 percent record for clean operations.
  According to the Minerals Management Service about 100 times more oil 
seeps naturally from the seabed into U.S. marine waters than from 
offshore oil and gas activities.
  The Nation's record for safe and clean offshore natural gas and oil 
operations is excellent. And to maintain and improve upon this 
excellent record, Minerals Management Service continually seeks 
operational improvements that will reduce the risks to offshore 
personnel and to the environment. The Office of Minerals Management 
constantly re-evaluates its procedures and regulations to stay abreast 
of technological advances that will ensure safe and clean operations, 
as well as to increase awareness of their importance.
  It is reported that the amount of oil naturally released from cracks 
on the floor of the ocean have caused more oil to be in sea water than 
work done by oil rigs.
  Most rigs under current Interior regulation must have an emergency 
shutdown process in the event of a major accident which immediately 
seals the pipeline. Other safety features include training requirements 
for personnel, design standards and redundant safety systems. Last year 
the Office of Minerals Management conducted 16,000 inspections of 
offshore rigs in federal waters.
  In addition to these precautions each platform always has a team of 
safety and environmental specialists on board to monitor all drilling 
activity.
  These oil and gas rigs have become artificial reefs for crustaceans, 
sea anomie, and small aquatic fish. These conditions have created 
habitat for larger fish, making rigs a favored location to fish by 
local people.
  I will be offering an amendment later today with Congressman Nick 
Lampson to create a reporting process to access the operation of oil 
and gas wells off the coast of Texas and Louisiana.
  We can all agree that the United States does need to develop a long-
term national energy policy. Our nation's energy priorities should 
remain constant regardless of the changing dynamics of energy supply. 
For this reason, I hope that the process of completing work on the bill 
will allow for open debate and honest compromise.

                          ____________________