[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 46 (Friday, March 21, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        THE INTRODUCTION OF A HYDROGEN AND FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN B. LARSON

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 20, 2003

  Mr. LARSON of Connecticut. Mr. Speaker, in the January 28, 2003, 
State of the Union Address, the President proposed a $1.2 billion 
hydrogen fuel initiative to reverse America's growing dependence on 
foreign oil by developing the technology for commercially viable 
hydrogen-powered fuel cells to power cars, buses, trucks, homes and 
businesses with no pollution or greenhouse gases. Over the next five 
years, the proposed hydrogen fuel initiative would develop the 
technologies and infrastructure to produce, store, and distribute 
hydrogen for use in fuel cell vehicles and electricity generation.
  I rise today to introduce a Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology 
Authorization bill that would fully authorize the President's hydrogen 
fuel Initiative, providing a total of $1.2 billion over 5 years. 
Specifically, the bill would fully authorize funding for the 
President's Fiscal Year 2004 Hydrogen, Fuel Cells, and Infrastructure 
Technologies budget request at $182 million and provide an additional 
$1.018 billion across the following 4 years to fully fund the 
initiative through FY08.
  Both the Fuel Cell Technology programs and the Hydrogen Technology 
Programs authorized in this bill are identified as key components of 
the Administration's FreedomCAR initiative in the FY04 budget proposal 
and represent a significant portion of the overall programs that make 
up FreedomCAR. This initiative has also been developed in response to 
the recommendations of the May 2001 National Energy Policy (NEP), which 
specifically recommended: (1) the development of next-generation 
technology, including hydrogen and fusion; (2) Development of an 
education campaign that communicates the benefits of alternative forms 
of energy, including hydrogen and fusion; and (3) Focused research and 
development efforts on integrating current programs regarding hydrogen, 
fuel cells, and distributed energy.
  Additionally, the bill ensures a continued focus on ``core'' fuel 
cell power plant technology research and development programs that will 
be necessary to accelerate the technology to meet the goals established 
to bring this technology to market. These core elements include 
programs that help to address low cost, high-efficiency, fuel flexible, 
modular fuel cell power systems, improved manufacturing production and 
processes, high temperature membranes, cost effective fuel processing 
for natural gas, fuel cell stack and system reliability, durability and 
cold start capability.
  Pursuing the development of this technology strikes at the very core 
our national security, economic stability, and environmental conscious. 
We have before us, for the first time in human history, the technology 
to provide clean, reliable energy for every person, home, business, and 
vehicle in America. With this technology, we have the opportunity to 
end once and for all America's reliance on foreign energy sources while 
at the same time creating quality jobs for the next century in a new 
and expanding technological field.
  I urge my colleagues to support this initiative.

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