[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[House]
[Pages H14451-H14452]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. LEE. As a strong supporter of H.R. 6, the Energy Independence and 
Security Act of 2007, I wanted to take a few moments to speak about 
this important bill, which we passed earlier today in the House, and 
how delighted I am and my constituents are for its passage. It is a 
historic step forward in our goal toward reaching energy independence.
  H.R. 6 raised CAFE standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020, cutting 
oil consumption by 1.1 million gallons per day, also, eliminating 
greenhouse gases equivalent to 28 million cars from our roads. That's 
28 million cars.
  Among many important additional initiatives, it includes new energy 
efficiency standards to reduce demand. It extends renewable energy tax 
credits for solar and other renewable sources. It includes a renewable 
fuels standard that contains safeguards to reduce carbon emissions and 
protect our environment. It also contains a renewable electricity 
standard, requiring utilities to get 15 percent of their power from 
renewable sources by 2020. It also assists and empowers small 
businesses to cut costs and scale up innovative energy solutions.
  It will create thousands of new good-paying green jobs and build on 
the work that has begun in places like the Ella Baker Center in my 
district in Oakland, California, which is helping to lead the green 
jobs revolution.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill takes the right steps forward to reduce our 
dependence on foreign oil, to save our constituents money, and to fight 
global warming. Most importantly, it echoes the innovative steps that 
have already been taken by individual cities, States and districts like 
my district in the East Bay of California, Alameda County, to be 
specific.
  In many ways, the California Bay Area, and my district in particular, 
are in the forefront of the innovation and research on alternative 
energy climate change and the environment. Ongoing research into 
alternative and renewable energy at the University of California at 
Berkley, one of the premier public universities in the country, of 
course I am an alma mater of the University of California at Berkley 
and very proud of that, we hold the promise of a cleaner and brighter 
future for our children, our country and the world.
  Businesses in my district have also taken the lead in greening their 
activities to reduce waste, improve energy efficiency, and save water, 
minimizing the impact on our environment.
  Innovative programs like the Ella Baker Center, which I already 
mentioned, and funded in part through the City of Oakland, are also 
training youth in my district about the importance of environmental 
stewardship and providing them with new job opportunities and new 
career paths. Community-based organizations in my district have also 
taken the lead in advocating for environmental justice and equity for 
all of our constituents. Together, my community is at the forefront of 
a robust environmental movement that is quite literally changing the 
world for the better.
  The passage of the Energy Independence and Security Act will help 
these grass-roots efforts expand and grow through Federal initiatives 
designed to put the United States on a path to energy sustainability.

[[Page H14452]]

  Again, I am very pleased that the House passed H.R. 6, and I look 
forward to its final passage by the Senate.
  In my district, we have the City of Albany, Berkley, Piedmont, 
Oakland, California, Ashland, Cherryland, Fairview, Castro Valley, 
unbelievable innovations which this bill will certainly support and 
enhance. So I urge the President not to reject this proposal and hope 
that he signs the bill when it reaches his desk.

                          ____________________