[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 102 (Friday, June 22, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1379]]


 ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2008

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 20, 2007

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2641) making 
     appropriations for energy and water development and related 
     agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and 
     for other purposes:

  Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the Hinchey-Wolf 
amendment. My constituents need electricity in their homes, their 
businesses and their communities. This amendment will deprive my 
constituents and the people of Pennsylvania of low-cost energy.
  In 2005, the Republican-led Congress passed the bipartisan Energy 
Policy Act, 275-156. In section 1221 of the Energy Policy Act, the 
Department of Energy was required to identify and report a National 
Transmission Congestion and Constraint Study.
  The study identified two areas as inadequate: the Mid-Atlantic 
region, which encompasses my district, and the southwest-southern 
California region. With no coincidence, in 2002 these same areas were 
identified as problem areas. They were identified in two separate 
studies, 5 years apart, because there is an overwhelming need to build 
the infrastructure to supply the increasing demand for energy. The lack 
of necessary infrastructure in these areas imposes billions of dollars 
on consumers annually and leaves the citizens of the country vulnerable 
to rolling blackouts.
  On April 26, 2007, the Department of Energy issued two draft versions 
for transmission corridors, one traversing my home State and its 
neighboring regions and the other in southern California. The public 
comment period remains open for written submissions until July 6. In 
addition, the Energy Policy Act requires studies every 3 years.
  This amendment would require a needless, burdensome study, which in 
effect, would study two previous and congruent studies. At best, with 
this amendment, we are questioning whether or not to repeal sections of 
a successful, bipartisan bill, extensively debated and enacted less 
than 2 years ago, when the process so clearly works, the need is 
clearly there and the effects of inaction are so clearly dire. Let's 
allow the process to work. Let us have faith in our positive work in 
the Energy Policy Act.

                          ____________________