[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 5 (Wednesday, January 12, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E57]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE RENEWABLE ENERGY APPLIED PARTNERSHIPS (REAP) ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MAZIE K. HIRONO

                               of hawaii

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 12, 2011

  Ms. HIRONO. Mr. Speaker, Hawaii, like the rest of the United States, 
is entirely too dependent on imported fossil fuels. We must speed up 
the development of renewable energy technologies that can help wean us 
from our oil dependence and create economic growth at home. If we sow 
the seeds of renewable energy innovation today, we will be able to reap 
the benefits for years to come.
  Today I introduce the Renewable Energy Applied Partnerships (REAP) 
Act. This bill will create a Department of Energy pilot program to 
provide grants to partnerships which will include community colleges 
and universities, businesses, nonprofits, labor organizations, state 
education agencies, National Academies, and other public agencies. 
These partnership grants can be used to train teachers, recruit 
students, design renewable energy instructional programs, and encourage 
collaboration between faculty and industry partners.
  The bill builds on the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act to 
help students learn practical skills for future careers in renewable 
energy and STEM fields. Partnerships will also receive priority if they 
can demonstrate long-term sustainability without continued federal 
funding.
  Hawaii is at the forefront of innovation in the renewable energy 
sector, and I have visited many existing cross-sector partnerships in 
wind, solar, biofuels, and other renewable energy technology. It is my 
hope that this bill will help support the very best of these 
collaborations in Hawaii and around the country, to create jobs and 
train the next generation of renewable energy workers.
  For his work on this bill last Congress, I thank my former colleague, 
Congressman Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania, the first Iraq War veteran 
in Congress and a fighter for STEM education in Pennsylvania and 
nationwide.

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