[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H279]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CUTS AT NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY WRONG POLICY

  (Mr. HOLT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, here is another chapter in the competitiveness 
saga. A couple weeks ago in the President Bush's State of the Union 
address he stated, ``So tonight, I announce the Advanced Energy 
Initiative, a 22 percent increase in clean-energy research at the 
Department of Energy to push for breakthroughs.''
  This was followed a week later by an announcement from the National 
Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado of cuts in outside contracts, 
cuts in operating expenses, and the laying off of 35 staff, including 
eight researchers, one in photovoltaics and seven in biomass and 
hydrogen.
  The words and the actions simply do not match. The researchers will 
leave the lab, affecting our economy and distancing us further from 
solutions in energy technologies. We will lose their knowledge and 
their creativity.
  There is a lot of talk about lost competitiveness, outsourcing of 
jobs, and lost opportunities in the alternative energy market. We could 
lead the world in energy technologies if we invest in alternative 
energies.
  Mr. Speaker, which is it: Are we pushing for breakthroughs or are we 
cutting research?

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