[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 73 (Wednesday, May 13, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H5576-H5577]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    CLEAN ENERGY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Hampshire (Mr. Hodes) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HODES. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Mr. Tonko, and I join 
him in voicing my support for President Obama's plan to limit dangerous 
carbon emissions, put us on a path to energy security, and create 
millions of American clean energy jobs. Right now Americans realize 
that our American energy policy is not working. The last administration 
gave billions of dollars in tax subsidies to oil companies despite the 
fact that they were earning record profits, and despite their 
willingness to gouge the American people.
  We clearly need a new energy policy that invests in renewable energy 
that will be cheaper for American families and will be homegrown, 
American energy that will create jobs and lead the world in a 21st 
century energy economy.
  Right now we are facing the most severe economic crisis in a 
generation, the most severe economic crisis since the Great Depression; 
and at the same time, our scientists are clearly telling us that our 
inaction is threatening the planet.
  Fortunately, by Congress taking one single action and passing what 
will come to the floor as climate legislation, we will take a giant 
leap towards mending both of our problems. The President has laid out 
an ambitious agenda, recognizing that as Americans we can do great 
things when we come together and work together for the common good. The 
President has presented us with a clean energy jobs plan that will: 
create new, 21st century American jobs throughout the product-supply 
chain; protect existing jobs; reduce our dependence on foreign oil; 
save money on energy costs for American taxpayers in the long run; 
reduce carbon pollution, and, with it, combat the dangerous effects of 
climate change.
  By forcing those who have long polluted our air and water for free to 
finally pay for their carbon pollution, we will begin to shift away 
from our dependence on dirty, outdated, obsolete energy technology.
  Instead, we will provide incentives for American business. We are 
going to unleash the American entrepreneurial spirit and create clean 
energy jobs. We will lead the world in technology and manufacturing 
that will drive a new, much more prosperous energy economy.
  Think of the cost savings. This plan to shift American energy 
production to domestic alternative sources like solar and wind and 
biomass, which means wood in New Hampshire where I come from, will be 
cheaper and cleaner and will save Americans billions of dollars in the 
long run.
  By forcing our Nation to tackle climate change and develop new 
energy, the plan will create millions of new jobs and whole new 
industries here in the United States, employing everyone from 
construction workers to secretaries to salespeople to engineers. It 
will open new markets for us. Just imagine what it is like if we can 
become the world leaders in renewable and alternative energy. Think of 
the products and services we can sell around the globe and the goodwill 
we will get.
  Inaction is no longer an option. Doing nothing about climate change 
will cost exponentially more than the President's plan. One respected 
study on this says that inaction could end up costing between 5 and 20 
percent of the total world GDP. We must act.
  Now, my friends on the other side of the aisle are either scared of 
change, pessimistic about the American entrepreneurial spirit, or are 
denying the scientific consensus because they rely on campaign funds 
from oil and coal interests. The truth remains, we must act.
  President Obama's plan provides the support and incentives needed to 
help the American can-do spirit of innovation and creativity to build 
the new clean technologies of the future.
  Just as we led the world in developing the automobile and the 
computer, we will once again lead the world in developing new, cheaper, 
cleaner technologies to lead the world for the 21st century. In 
addition, we will provide lower-income Americans with a clean energy 
tax credit to assist them in this transition to a prosperous new clean 
energy economy.
  I have proposed we have a commission to make sure that Congress knows 
the impact on small businesses and low- and moderate-income folks of 
the climate change legislation that we are going to pass.
  We are already feeling the effects around this country of a changing 
climate. We ignored the warnings of the experts of the risks for far 
too long. We have learned the dangers, and the costs are mounting to 
clean up the mess after the crisis has hit. We need to act as good 
stewards of the Earth. The American people are trusting us to act to 
protect our children and our grandchildren and to be stewards of the 
public trust. We need to remember that there will be tremendous 
unsustainable economic costs of dealing with the impacts of climate 
change once they have occurred because Mother Nature doesn't do 
bailouts.
  So let me conclude by rejecting the charge of those who would defend 
the polluters and put our kids at risk. They are simply wrong. 
President Obama's clean energy plan is the opposite of a tax increase. 
It is regulating polluters to protect our country, protect our 
environment, create jobs, invest in American business, and save 
American families money via a direct tax credit and increased energy 
efficiency.

[[Page H5577]]

  It is time to act. Congress will have the legislation before us. We 
will create a new economy for the 21st century. We will create jobs. We 
will protect this country.

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