[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 169 (Thursday, November 20, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2359]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         CONFERENCE REPORT ON H.R. 6, ENERGY POLICY ACT OF 2003

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                               speech of

                             HON. DAVE CAMP

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 18, 2003

  Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 6.
  We have pushed for and promised a new national energy policy for a 
decade, and it is time we deliver on that promise; a promise that tells 
our families they won't be left out in the cold due to skyrocketing 
home-heating bills, a promise that tells the American worker that an 
unstable and unaffordable energy supply won't force employers to reduce 
benefits or eliminate jobs, and a promise that tells our children that 
they will be able to live and grow in a clean, healthy environment.
  It is on that last point, encouraging the development of 
environmentally friendly energy, that I rise today. Transportation 
accounts for more than 75 percent of total oil consumption in the 
United States. Accelerating the use of fuel-efficient technologies and 
cleaner burning fuels by the auto industry will have a profound impact 
on safeguarding our health and our environment.
  The high costs of new technologies, however, have stalled progress in 
the past. And, as California's experiment with electric engines quotas 
proved, top-down, government-driven reforms do not work. We cannot 
expect results if the expectations and demands of consumers are not 
met. This energy bill puts consumers in the driver's seat for 
developing technology, and will create a sustainable effort to improve 
fuel efficiency and reduce pollution.
  By providing tax credits directly to consumers, this bill will help 
offset the thousands of dollars added to the ticket price of a hybrid 
or alternative fuel vehicle. Without these incentives, up to $3,400 for 
the purchase of a hybrid vehicle and up to $8,000 for a fuel cell 
vehicle, we will not change the status quo.
  The energy bill compromise is not only fair and balanced; it is a 
major step forward for our country. By providing a more stable, 
affordable supply of energy, it will protect and create hundreds of 
thousands of jobs, save families money, and reduce pollution.

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