[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 87 (Thursday, June 16, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1118-E1119]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND 
               RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2012

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                            HON. JAY INSLEE

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 14, 2011

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the State of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2112) making 
     appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and 
     Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the 
     fiscal year ending September 30, 2012, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. INSLEE. Madam Chair, I am concerned about the underlying 
legislation's attempt to zero out funding for the USDA Biomass Crop 
Assistance Program (BCAP), in the Agriculture Appropriations bill for 
FY2012. BCAP is an important economic development program uniquely 
focused on advanced, next generation biofuels that can be grown, 
produced, and refined in Washington state. This biomass can be used for 
heat, power, bio-based products, and biofuels. In fact, it is the only 
program that helps farmers transition from growing traditional crops to 
growing energy crops.
  BCAP is vitally important for the development of the clean domestic 
biomass energy industry. Authorized in Title IX of the 2008 Farm Bill, 
BCAP received $552 million in FY 2010, but the final Continuing 
Resolution that passed into law for FY 2011 reduced BCAP funding to 
$112 million. Today, the House Agriculture Appropriations bill goes 
further, proposing to eliminate funding for this program in its 
entirety. I believe that eliminating this program is the wrong 
direction, and will hinder job creation in the emerging biomass and 
biofuels industries.
  It is widely agreed that developing a robust sustainable biomass and 
biofuels industry will produce significant jobs and generate revenues 
in rural areas. One national study has found that producing 475 million 
gallons of biofuel in 2009 resulted in 23,000 jobs across the economy, 
$4.1 billion in added GDP growth, $445 million in Federal tax revenues, 
and $383 million for State and local governments. Feedstock production 
would likely represent half the direct jobs, boosting employment in 
rural areas and small communities.
  For example, in the Pacific Northwest, a coalition of aviation and 
airline industries, universities, ports and international airports, 
recently released a report outlining how to commercialize aviation 
biofuels. Many of the coalition partners are working to bring these 
aviation biofuels to market and will rely on BCAP, as do countless 
other biofuel and biomass organizations around the Nation. Because of 
the prospects for widespread job creation and superb opportunities for 
positive rural development, I believe that rather than zero out this 
program, Congress should preserve funding at the Administration's 
proposed budget of $201 million.

[[Page E1119]]



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