[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 122 (Wednesday, September 12, 2012)]
[House]
[Page H5871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     THE WIND PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT

  (Ms. TSONGAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. TSONGAS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as a member of the Sustainable 
Energy and Environment Coalition to talk about a critical issue for 
Massachusetts and our Nation: the wind protection tax credit.
  Providing a modest credit of 2.2 cents per kilowatt hour generated, 
it has encouraged over $75 billion in private investment over the last 
5 years. Now 60 percent of the average turbine is manufactured here in 
the United States. These companies hire a diversity of workers and 
provide good-paying jobs in a rapidly growing sector of our economy.
  Bay Stater Nigel Greene worked for GE Wind as a wind farm parts 
runner. He says:

       I can tell you honestly that nothing gave me more pride in 
     my country than seeing a turbine go from ``in-repair'' status 
     back to ``on-line'' and producing clean, renewable power. It 
     is truly a sight to behold.

  Last year alone, clean energy jobs in Massachusetts grew 11 percent. 
If it is allowed to expire, we will lose an important new manufacturing 
opportunity and too many good-paying American jobs.

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