[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 90 (Wednesday, June 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H6026-H6027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1140
GREEN ENERGY EDUCATION ACT OF 2007
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the
bill (H.R. 1716) to authorize higher education curriculum development
and graduate training in advanced energy and green building
technologies, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1716
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Green Energy Education Act
of 2007''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION.
For the purposes of this Act:
(1) Director.--The term ``Director'' means the Director of
the National Science Foundation.
(2) High performance building.--The term ``high performance
building'' has the meaning given that term in section 914(a)
of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (42 U.S.C. 16194(a)).
(3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Energy.
SEC. 3. GRADUATE TRAINING IN ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.
(a) Funding.--In carrying out research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application activities
authorized for the Department of Energy, the Secretary may
contribute funds to the National Science Foundation for the
Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship
program to support projects that enable graduate education
related to such activities.
(b) Consultation.--The Director shall consult with the
Secretary when preparing solicitations and awarding grants
for projects described in subsection (a).
SEC. 4. CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDING
DESIGN.
(a) Funding.--In carrying out advanced energy technology
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application activities authorized for the Department of
Energy related to high performance buildings, the Secretary
may contribute funds to curriculum development activities at
the National Science Foundation for the purpose of improving
undergraduate or graduate interdisciplinary engineering and
architecture education related to the design and construction
of high performance buildings, including development of
curricula, of laboratory activities, of training practicums,
or of design projects. A primary goal of curriculum
development activities supported under this section shall be
to improve the ability of engineers, architects, landscape
architects, and planners to work together on the
incorporation of advanced energy technologies during the
design and construction of high performance buildings.
(b) Consultation.--The Director shall consult with the
Secretary when preparing solicitations and awarding grants
for projects described in subsection (a).
(c) Priority.--In awarding grants with respect to which the
Secretary has contributed funds under this section, the
Director shall give priority to applications from
departments, programs, or centers of a school of engineering
that are partnered with schools, departments, or programs of
design, architecture, and city, regional, or urban planning.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. McCaul) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Illinois.
General Leave
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
include extraneous material on H.R. 1716, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Illinois?
There was no objection.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Today, I rise in support of H.R. 1716, the Green Energy Education Act
of 2007. I'd like to thank Mr. McCaul and Mr. Hill for their leadership
on this important legislation.
This bill authorizes the Department of Energy to contribute funds to
the National Science Foundation's successful Integrative Graduate
Education and Research Traineeship program, known as IGERT. IGERT
awards prepare doctoral students by integrating research and education
in innovative ways that are tailored to the unique requirement of newly
emerging interdisciplinary fields and new career options.
Many future green energy technologies, such as thin film solar
technologies, will require interdisciplinary teams of scientists and
engineers such as those trained under the IGERT program.
This bill also authorizes the Department of Energy's high-
performance-building technology programs to contribute to the National
Science Foundation's ongoing curriculum development activities with the
goal of improving the ability of engineers and architects to design and
construct high-performance buildings.
Innovative technologies, coupled with a whole-buildings approach that
optimizes interactions among building systems and components, enable
buildings to use considerably less energy, while also helping to meet
national goals for sustainable development, environmental protection
and energy security.
The high-performance, or green, building movement is growing rapidly,
but it is still a very small slice of the multibillion dollar building
industry; and there's a real gap in university level education and
training for the next generation of green building professionals. This
bill helps address that gap.
In summary, this bill addresses a critical need to provide resources
to universities to update their curricula and research efforts in
alternative energy and high-performance buildings, and it improves
coordination between the Department of Energy and the National Science
Foundation in achieving this goal.
I'm pleased to support H.R. 1716, the Green Energy Education Act of
2007. Again, I want to commend Mr. McCaul and Mr. Hill for this
important legislation; and I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 1716.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I
may consume.
I want to first thank Mr. Lipinski and my colleagues on both sides of
the aisle for their strong support of this bill, which I introduced in
the last Congress; and I'm pleased to see it get to the House floor in
this Congress.
The National Academies' Rising Above the Gathering Storm report
echoed the call of many in the academic and business community for
greater need to recruit and develop scientific and engineering talent
to work on solving problems of national need.
Like many Members of Congress, I'm concerned about America's
dependence on foreign sources of energy. Our reliance on imported
energy only serves to increase our vulnerability to both external
events and the actions of regimes that are, in many cases, openly
hostile to the interests of the United States. One of the ways we can
reduce the need for energy imports is to use our energy more
efficiently.
Buildings consume more energy than any other sector of the economy,
including industry and transportation. According to the U.S. Department
of Energy, American buildings consume 39 percent of our Nation's
primary energy and 70 percent of electricity. However, energy efficient
building practices are not being fully utilized, in
[[Page H6027]]
part because of a lack of awareness about energy efficient technologies
and design practices among building professionals.
That is why I introduced the Green Energy Education Act. This
legislation authorizes the Department of Energy to partner with the
National Science Foundation to support graduate education and
curriculum development to advance DOE's broad energy technology
development mission. Working through NSF, DOE will help develop the
next generation of engineers and architects to produce buildings
incorporating the latest in energy efficient technologies.
In order to reduce the likelihood of duplicative and wasteful
programs, this bill also allows the Department of Energy and the
National Science Foundation to combine their efforts to find workable
solutions to the issues surrounding building efficiency that then can
be transferred to the marketplace.
Specifically, H.R. 1716 will authorize DOE's Office of Science and
applied energy technology programs to contribute funds to the NSF's
successful Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship
program, which is already doing great work in this area.
This bill also authorizes the DOE to contribute to NSF's curriculum
development activities in order to improve the ability of engineers and
architects to design and construct more efficient and durable
buildings.
I urge my colleagues to support this important step towards
increasing America's energy independence.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, this is another great effort that we are making, another
important step in helping to reduce our energy consumption in this
country. It's critical for national security, our economic security and
to combat global climate change, and certainly energy efficient
buildings, great work is being done in this, and much more work needs
to be done.
I have seen at the Department of Energy lab the work that is being
done on some of this. I think much more needs to be done. This bill
will help to provide these opportunities for more students, more people
to learn about what it takes to make our buildings more energy
efficient.
Again, I commend Mr. McCaul and Mr. Hill for this bill, and I urge my
colleagues to pass this legislation.
Mr. HILL. Mr. Speaker, today the House will consider H.R. 1716, the
Green Energy Education Act. As the lead Democratic sponsor of this
bill, I am pleased that it has moved so quickly through committee. I
believe its rapid movement onto the floor of the House for a vote is
indicative of the bill's importance and timely subject matter.
H.R. 1716 promotes the design and construction of energy efficient
buildings by authorizing the Department of Energy to partner with the
National Science Foundation (NSF) in support of multidisciplinary
graduate education and curriculum development activities that will
enhance the DOE's broad energy technology development mission. By
working with the NSF, DOE will help develop the next generation of
engineers and architects to work effectively together to produce
buildings and incorporating the latest in energy efficient
technologies.
Buildings in the U.S. consume a disproportionate share of our energy
and electricity. We must do something to make our buildings more energy
efficient and friendly to the environment. In fact, buildings in the
U.S. consume more energy than any other sector of the country,
including industry and transportation. According to 2003 U.S.
Department of Energy (DOE) statistics, U.S. buildings consume 39
percent of our nation's primary energy and 70 percent of electricity.
We need to do everything we can to address the harmful things we are
doing to the environment. This bill is a step in that direction--making
buildings more energy efficient and less stressful on our energy and
electrical supplies. And, it will save businesses considerable sums of
money in the long run.
I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this important bill and take
a step forward in easing our dependence on foreign and harmful energy
sources.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of
H.R. 1716, the Green Energy Education Act of 2007.
Mr. Speaker, ``green energy'' is defined as energy that is produced
and used in ways that lessen air pollution and other environmental
impacts.
An investment in green energy education will benefit our Nation in
important ways. It is good for the environment, because it reduces
environmental impacts of the production and delivery of energy.
Green energy also reduces harmful greenhouse emissions.
H.R. 1716 directs the Department of Energy to contribute funds to the
National Science Foundation for the Integrative Graduate Education and
Research Traineeship program. This program is important in supporting
graduate education related to green energy projects.
The bill also supports energy technology research and development for
high tech buildings and for educational activities to teach students
how to improve building design that is not harmful to the environment.
Mr. Speaker, I support H.R. 1716 and urge my colleagues to support it
also.
Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Lipinski) that the House suspend the rules
and pass the bill, H.R. 1716, as amended.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. McCAUL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will
be postponed.
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