[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 131 (Monday, September 15, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H7462-H7464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     INSULAR AREAS AND FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 83) to require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a 
team of technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy 
needs of the insular areas of the United States and the Freely 
Associated States through the development of action plans aimed at 
reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels and increasing use of 
indigenous clean-energy resources, and for other purposes, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                                H.R. 83

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. INSULAR AREAS AND FREELY ASSOCIATED STATES ENERGY 
                   DEVELOPMENT.

       (a) Definitions.--In this section:
       (1) Comprehensive energy plan.--The term ``comprehensive 
     energy plan'' means a comprehensive energy plan prepared and 
     updated under subsections (c) and (e) of section 604 of the 
     Act entitled ``An Act to authorize appropriations for certain 
     insular areas of the United States, and for other purposes'', 
     approved December 24, 1980 (48 U.S.C. 1492).
       (2) Energy action plan.--The term ``energy action plan'' 
     means the plan required by subsection (d).
       (3) Freely associated states.--The term ``Freely Associated 
     States'' means the Federated States of Micronesia, the 
     Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.
       (4) Insular areas.--The term ``insular areas'' means 
     American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 
     Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the 
     Virgin Islands.
       (5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of the Interior.
       (6) Team.--The term ``team'' means the team established by 
     the Secretary under subsection (b).
       (b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the date 
     of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish a 
     team of technical, policy, and financial experts--
       (1) to develop energy action plans addressing the 
     immediate, near-term, and long-term energy and environmental 
     needs of each of the insular areas and Freely Associated 
     States; and
       (2) to assist each of the insular areas and Freely 
     Associated States in implementing an energy action plan.
       (c) Participation of Regional Utility Organizations.--In 
     establishing the team, the Secretary shall consider including 
     regional utility organizations.
       (d) Energy Action Plans.--In accordance with subsection 
     (b), the energy action plans shall include--
       (1) recommendations, based on the comprehensive energy plan 
     where applicable, to--
       (A) promote access to affordable, reliable energy;
       (B) develop indigenous, nonfossil fuel energy resources; 
     and
       (C) improve performance of energy infrastructure and 
     overall energy efficiency;
       (2) a schedule for implementation of such recommendations 
     and identification and prioritization of specific projects;
       (3) a financial and engineering plan for implementing and 
     sustaining projects; and
       (4) benchmarks for measuring progress toward 
     implementation.
       (e) Reports to Secretary.--Not later than 1 year after the 
     date on which the Secretary establishes the team and annually 
     thereafter, the team shall submit to the Secretary a report 
     detailing progress made in fulfilling its charge and in 
     implementing the energy action plans.
       (f) Annual Reports to Congress.--Not later than 30 days 
     after the date on which the Secretary receives a report 
     submitted by the team under subsection (e), the Secretary 
     shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress a 
     summary of the report of the team.
       (g) Funding.--No additional funds are authorized to be 
     appropriated for the purpose of carrying out this section, 
     and this section shall be carried out using amounts otherwise 
     available for such purpose.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) and the gentlewoman from the Virgin Islands 
(Mrs. Christensen) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.


                             General Leave

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members 
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks 
and to insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Kentucky?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I would like to include an exchange of letters between the Committee 
on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Natural Resources.

                                         House of Representatives,


                               Committee on Natural Resources,

                                    Washington, DC, June 19, 2014.
     Hon. Fred Upton,
     Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I write in regard to H.R. 83. As you are 
     aware, the bill was primarily referred to the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce, but the Committee on Natural Resources 
     has a jurisdictional interest in the bill and has requested a 
     sequential referral.
       I recognize and appreciate your desire to bring this 
     legislation before the House in an expeditious manner, and, 
     accordingly, I agree not to insist on a referral of H.R. 83. 
     I do so with the understanding that by foregoing such a 
     referral, the Committee on Natural Resources does not waive 
     any future jurisdictional claim on this or similar matters. 
     Further, the Committee on Natural Resources reserves the 
     right to seek the appointment of conferees, if it should 
     become necessary.
       I ask that you insert a copy of our exchange of letters 
     into the Congressional Record during consideration of this 
     measure on the House floor.

[[Page H7463]]

       Thank you for your courtesy in this matter and I look 
     forward to continued cooperation between our respective 
     committees.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Doc Hastings,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

                                         House of Representatives,


                             Committee on Energy and Commerce,

                                    Washington, DC, June 20, 2014.
     Hon. Doc Hastings,
     Chairman, Committee on Natural Resources, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Hastings, Thank you for your letter regarding 
     H.R. 83, to require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble 
     a team of technical, policy, and financial experts to address 
     the energy needs of the insular areas of the United States 
     and the Freely Associated States through the development of 
     action plans aimed at reducing reliance on imported fossil 
     fuels and increasing use of indigenous clean-energy 
     resources, and for other purposes. As you noted, H.R. 83 was 
     referred to both the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the 
     Committee on Natural Resources.
       I appreciate your willingness to discharge the H.R. 83 from 
     further consideration by the Committee on Natural Resources 
     so that it may proceed expeditiously to the House floor for 
     consideration.
       I agree that by discharging the bill, the Committee on 
     Natural Resources does not waive any future jurisdictional 
     claim on this or similar matters. Further, I agree that the 
     Committee on Natural Resources preserves its right to seek 
     the appointment of conferees, if it should become necessary.
       Finally, I would be pleased to insert a copy of our 
     exchange into the Congressional Record during consideration 
     of this measure on the House floor.
       Thank you again for your assistance with this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                       Fred Upton,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to thank Dr. 
Christensen for being the primary author of this important legislation.
  H.R. 83 requires the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team of 
technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of 
the insular areas of the United States and the freely associated states 
of Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands through the development of 
energy action plans aimed at promoting access to affordable and 
reliable energy.

                              {time}  1615

  These U.S. territories have few conventional energy resources, and 
they are dependent upon imports to meet a significant portion of their 
energy needs. As a result the resident of those areas pay unusually 
high electricity bills. In addition, because these areas are isolated 
from areas that provide their energy fuels, as well as the added cost 
of transporting these fuels, they face higher energy costs and greater 
threat of supply interruption than areas that are energy independent or 
have a more convenient source of energy fuels.
  Dr. Christensen has done a great job of bringing to the attention of 
our committee the unique challenges faced in those areas. H.R. 83 will 
assist these important U.S. territories in addressing their energy 
needs by establishing a team of energy experts to help develop and 
implement an energy action plan for each of these areas.
  Congress certainly has an ongoing interest in the energy needs of the 
Nation, as well as the insular areas of the U.S. and the freely 
associated states. Helping these territories develop affordable and 
reliable sources of energy are hallmarks of a thriving economy that can 
improve the quality of life for all.
  H.R. 83 will not entirely solve these issues, but it will help 
facilitate the efforts.
  I would urge all Members to support this legislation, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  I rise in very strong support of H.R. 83, a bill which I introduced 
on the very first day of this Congress. This legislation, as you have 
heard, would require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team 
of technical, policy, and financial experts to address our energy needs 
through the development of action plans to promote access to 
affordable, reliable energy all while increasing the use of indigenous 
clean-energy resources in the insular areas of American Samoa, the 
Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and 
the freely associated states.
  Before I go any further, I want to take this opportunity to thank 
Subcommittee Chairman Whitfield and Ranking Member Rush and Committee 
Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Waxman who, on hearing the high cost 
of electricity in my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands, immediately 
offered to support my efforts to bring relief.
  I recall the very first time I shared how much we paid for 
electricity during one of our earlier Energy and Power Subcommittee 
meetings. Chairman Whitfield actually followed me outside of the room 
to confirm that he had heard the right figure and then pledged to do 
whatever he could as chairman to help on this issue.
  We thank you for your help and your support. With their support 
Energy and Commerce actually passed this bill in July of last year, and 
we have been trying to bring it to the floor for passage since then.
  I also want to thank Natural Resources Chair Doc Hastings and Ranking 
Member DeFazio for releasing the bill from their jurisdiction so that 
we could bring it to the floor today.
  We have come a long way since 2008 when the Subcommittee on Insular 
Affairs, which I chaired at that time, and the Subcommittee on Energy 
and Mineral Resources, chaired then by Congressman Jim Costa, held an 
official hearing in Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
  Its specific purpose was to highlight the high cost of energy in the 
Virgin Islands and other territories and to explore and offer 
alternative and renewable sources. It was at that hearing that we first 
called for a project like the Energy Development for Island Nations 
which then only existed in Hawaii.
  Within a year the Department of the Interior and the Governor brought 
this project to the Virgin Islands. This initiative is what assisted 
our water and power authority to plan and implement the transition to 
propane and solar which will begin to lower costs later this year or 
earlier next year. It has also prepared the way for wind energy.
  Today EDIN is no more, and we still have miles to go before we can 
see the significant reductions in cost that our families and our 
businesses must bear, and that is why we are here asking this body to 
pass H.R. 83 today.
  This measure will help my district and our Nation's other insular 
areas become less reliant on expensive foreign-imported fuel and 
address our longstanding energy challenges which have become 
increasingly complicated by price shocks and instability in the oil 
markets over the past few years.
  The bill requires that the energy action plans identify and offer 
remedies to our immediate, near-term, long-term, and environmental 
needs along with recommendations on how to improve the performance of 
energy infrastructure, how to improve overall energy efficiency, and 
how to set a schedule for implementation of those recommendations.
  Just to give you a little more context to our ongoing dilemma, on 
every occasion when I am in my district, I hear business owners tell me 
that they are not sure how much longer they can hold on before closing. 
In fact, many have closed, and the high electricity costs make it very 
difficult to attract new ones at a time when our economy needs the 
stimulus.
  At one social event I recall a mother of five pleading with me to 
keep seeking help as her almost $500 a month bill is making it 
difficult for her to provide for the needs of her family. Our seniors 
are foregoing medicine and basic essentials. Many are living in 
darkness.
  In some communities it would appear as though many have moved away 
when in actuality they are simply turning to candles and kerosene lamps 
because they simply cannot afford to turn on the lights. This presents 
risks to health and safety that are just unacceptable.
  According to the Energy Information Administration, the national 
average cost of energy is 9.94 cents per kilowatt hour in the United 
States. Residential ratepayers in my district pay around 51.2 cents 
per kilowatt hour while commercial ratepayers incur a charge of 
approximately 54.3 cents.

  This is nearly 500 times the national average, a cost that is 
unsustainable and crippling to our economy and the health and safety of 
our families. Residents in other territories and the State

[[Page H7464]]

of Hawaii pay rates that vary from 26 cents in Puerto Rico to over 40 
cents in the smaller islands of Hawaii, costs which are still 
unacceptable and unsustainably high.
  Despite our challenges and obstacles, our territories are steadfastly 
working to identify opportunities to adopt a diverse portfolio of 
energy options. This bill remains extremely necessary to support us in 
those endeavors because it recognizes the need for immediate short-term 
action.
  H.R. 83 also recognizes the crisis that the current 30th legislature 
of the Virgin Islands has declared for energy in our territory and 
directs focus to the short-term needs of our community as well as to 
ensuring that, when the transactions are made, we will be putting 
together the right mix of fuel sources that will provide the most 
efficient electricity at the lowest possible cost.
  As all of these factors converge, we know there is no better time 
than the present to aggressively pursue the deployment of solar, wind, 
LNG, LPG, geothermal, ocean wave, and thermal energy as well as storage 
systems. I am encouraged that this can be made a reality with the 
guidance of a team of experts dedicated solely to mitigating and 
resolving these issues.
  Given our geographic locations, we don't have the privilege of 
tapping into nearby grid systems in times of crisis. This bill will arm 
us with the tools necessary to help us to transition along with the 
rest of our country to resources that are much more affordable, 
reliable, efficient, and clean.
  President Obama has led the way. Many States have enacted strong 
energy plans that chart a way forward. Considering all of the options 
available to them, it is only fair that our territories also join in 
the race for energy independence and clean energy leadership.
  On behalf of my district and all of the other territories and insular 
areas, I would like to also thank the Democratic leadership for helping 
me with H.R. 83, a bill that is critically important to the energy 
future of the U.S. Virgin Islands and all of our Nation's territories 
and freely associated states.
  I also want to thank my colleagues for their support as we work 
through these challenges and issues. My constituents are encouraged and 
heartened by the support that we have received thus far.
  I ask all of my colleagues to support the passage of H.R. 83, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion I would once again urge 
everyone to support H.R. 83. I want to thank Chairman Upton and Ranking 
Member Waxman and staff on both sides of the aisle for working to bring 
this important legislation to the floor. I urge its passage, and I 
yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. PIERLUISI. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 83, and commend 
my colleague, Mrs. Christensen, for her leadership in sponsoring this 
legislation. I am a cosponsor of this bill, and want to express my 
support for its passage by the full House of Representatives. The bill 
requires the Secretary of the Interior to establish a team of experts 
to develop, and help implement, a plan for each territory to reduce 
reliance on imported oil and to transition to cleaner energy sources 
that will improve the environment and lower electricity costs.
  A typical territory resident pays two to four times more for 
electricity than the U.S. national average. As an island that does not 
produce oil, coal or natural gas, Puerto Rico faces inherent energy 
challenges. Notwithstanding the progress that was made under the last 
administration in San Juan, which oversaw a nearly 15 percent increase 
in the use of natural gas and a doubling of the use of renewable 
sources, Puerto Rico still generates most of its electricity from 
imported oil.
  Burning oil pollutes the air and explains why Puerto Rico has the 
highest rate of asthma and other respiratory illnesses in the nation. 
Oil is expensive and subject to sudden price shocks. The high cost of 
electricity strains family budgets and harms businesses.
  The plan called for by H.R. 83 will help the governments of Puerto 
Rico and the other territories diversify their energy portfolios and 
reduce electricity rates. It is for these reasons that I urge passage 
of this bill. I thank the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House 
Committee on Energy and Commerce for working with us to advance this 
bill.
  Mr. SABLAN. Mr. Speaker, lowering the cost of electricity is 
extremely important to the people I represent in the Northern Mariana 
Islands. Residential customers in my district pay 40 cents per 
kilowatt-hour--three times the U.S. average. And those electricity 
bills are eating away at families' paychecks.
   That's why I support H.R. 83.
   H.R. 83 will help local governments develop and implement plans to 
reduce reliance on the expensive fossil fuels that make electricity so 
expensive in America's insular areas, including the Northern Mariana 
Islands.
   The plans will propose technical, financial, and policy actions that 
island governments and local utilities can take to move the islands 
towards alternative sources of energy--especially renewables. The plans 
will show how to improve efficiency beginning with production, through 
distribution, and at the point of use, so that every kilowatt generated 
in the islands goes unwasted.
   Last year, Congresswomen Donna Christensen and Madeleine Bordallo, 
Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi and 
I were successful in convincing Health and Human Services Secretary 
Kathleen Sebelius to increase funding for the Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program in our islands. About 120 families were added to the 
rolls in the Northern Marianas and the assistance that all 420 families 
now receive is as much as double the previous amount.
   But helping some families with the high cost of energy is only a 
partial fix. We need to lower costs for everyone. That's what Ms. 
Christensen's bill promises to do.
   I want to thank Congresswoman Christensen for her years of work to 
move this important bill forward and congratulate her for bringing the 
bill to the floor today.
   I urge my colleagues to support H.R 83.
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 
83 to require the Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team of 
technical, policy, and financial experts to address the energy needs of 
the insular areas of the United States and the Freely Associated States 
through the development of action plans aimed at reducing reliance on 
imported fossil fuels and increasing use of indigenous clean energy 
resources, and for other purposes.
  This bill was introduced by my good friend, Congresswoman Donna 
Christensen, and I thank her for her leadership. I also commend my 
fellow Territorial Delegates for their support. I am proud to be an 
original cosponsor, and I commend Chairman Fred Upton and Ranking 
Member Henry Waxman of the Committee on Energy and Commerce for 
bringing this legislation to the floor today.
  H.R. 83 is critical in order to provide a comprehensive approach in 
addressing the high cost of energy in our island Territories and in the 
Freely Associated States. Given our remote locations, we rely solely on 
imported fuel has an adverse effect on our local economies.
  As discussed at 3rd International Conference of Small Island 
Developing States that was held in Apia, Samoa a few weeks ago, we 
should also be concerned about the effects of climate change on our 
communities. It is crucial that we develop action plans aimed at 
reducing our reliance on imported fossil fuels.
  H.R. 83 is an important first step in addressing our challenges and I 
urge my colleagues to support and pass H.R. 83.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) that the House suspend the 
rules and pass the bill, H.R. 83, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  The title was amended so as to read: ``A bill to require the 
Secretary of the Interior to assemble a team of technical, policy, and 
financial experts to address the energy needs of the insular areas of 
the United States and the Freely Associated States through the 
development of energy action plans aimed at promoting access to 
affordable, reliable energy, including increasing use of indigenous 
clean-energy resources, and for other purposes.''.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________