[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 38 (Thursday, March 6, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E320-E321]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                H.R. 2548, ELECTRIFY AFRICA ACT OF 2013

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. PETER J. ROSKAM

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 6, 2014

  Mr. ROSKAM. Mr. Speaker, I would like to rise in support of H.R. 
2548, the Electrify Africa Act, which will help enrich the lives of the 
some 589 million people who live in an electricity depleted part of 
Africa.
   This legislation will bring much needed support to a region that 
desperately needs it. As you are aware, 68 percent of the population in 
sub-Saharan Africa does not have access to electricity. This bill, if 
enacted, would establish a base of infrastructure from which economies 
can grow, improve health and education outcomes, and contribute to 
sustainable poverty reduction.
   I have visited Ghana and Liberia and seen firsthand the struggles 
that people deal with every day as they try to live a normal life. 
Power outages are a regular occurrence, while families may wait hours, 
days, or even weeks for electricity to be restored. A reliable 
electrical grid will help give businesses looking to make investments 
in Africa a greater degree of confidence in the infrastructure. The 
investments they make could help pull many out of poverty and hunger as 
local economies grow and people gain steady employment.
   There are not just economic benefits to consider, though. 
Electricity is also crucial to health outcomes. Certain medicines and 
vaccines require strict temperature regulation that is impossible to 
achieve without access to reliable electricity. Lifesaving devices and 
monitoring devices also require energy to function. An improved 
electrical infrastructure could also reduce the prevalence of illnesses 
like respiratory diseases that come from the use of harmful household 
fuels. On average, there are more than 3 million annual premature 
deaths from respiratory disease in sub-Saharan Africa. Shockingly, this 
number is higher than the annual number of deaths from HIV/AIDS and 
malaria.
   One final benefit I want to highlight is the educational improvement 
achievable as schools with a dependable source of energy can harness 
technology to educate the rapidly-growing youth population in Africa. 
In

[[Page E321]]

some countries, more than half of the population is under the age of 
25. Quality education for this generation of young people could further 
contribute to dynamism and innovation in their countries' economies.
   Mr. Speaker, H.R. 2548 will bring many positive opportunities to a 
continent that is in great need of assistance. I truly appreciate you 
and the committee giving this bill the attention it deserves. 
Electrifying Africa will not only create a brighter future for those 
who live in the region, but will also strengthen Africa's independence, 
promote continued economic development, and ensure the continent 
remains a vibrant source of art, culture, and history for generations 
to come.

                          ____________________