[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 53 (Monday, March 24, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H1209-H1212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INNOVATIVE MITIGATION PARTNERSHIPS FOR ASPHALT AND CONCRETE
TECHNOLOGIES ACT
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill
(H.R. 1534) to strengthen and enhance the competitiveness of American
industry through the research and development of advanced technologies
to improve the efficiency of cement, concrete, and asphalt production,
and for other purposes.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The text of the bill is as follows:
H.R. 1534
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Innovative Mitigation
Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act'' or
the ``IMPACT Act''.
SEC. 2. ADVANCED CEMENT, CONCRETE, AND ASPHALT PRODUCTION
RESEARCH PROGRAM.
(a) Program.--Part I of subtitle C of title V of division D
of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law
117-58) is amended by adding at the end the following new
section:
``SEC. 40523. ADVANCED CEMENT, CONCRETE, AND ASPHALT
PRODUCTION RESEARCH PROGRAM.
``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Advanced production.--The term `advanced production'
means production of cement, concrete, or asphalt with one or
more of the following improvements with respect to the
production of commercially available cement, concrete, or
asphalt:
``(A) Improved cost-effectiveness.
``(B) Improved quality, durability, engineering
performance, and resilience.
``(C) Improved efficiency of resource consumption and
material demand.
``(2) Alternative fuels.--The term `alternative fuels'
means any solid, liquid, or gaseous materials, or a
combination thereof, used to replace or supplement any
portion of fuels used in combustion or pyrolysis for low-
emissions cement, concrete, or asphalt.
``(3) Commercially available.--The term `commercially
available', with respect to cement, concrete, and asphalt,
means that the cement, concrete, or asphalt is--
``(A) readily and widely available for purchase in the
United States; and
``(B) produced using a production method of cement,
concrete, or asphalt products, as applicable, that is widely
in use.
``(4) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means
any of the following:
``(A) An institution of higher education.
``(B) An appropriate State or Federal entity, including a
federally funded research and development center of the
Department.
``(C) A nonprofit research institution.
``(D) A private entity.
``(E) Any other relevant entity the Secretary determines
appropriate.
``(F) A partnership or consortium of two or more entities
described in subparagraphs (A) through (E).
``(5) Engineering performance-based standard.--The term
`engineering performance-based standard' means an existing
engineering standard with respect to which the requirements
applicable to such standard are stated in terms of required
results, with criteria for verifying compliance rather than
specific composition, design, or procedure.
``(6) Institution of higher education.--The term
`institution of higher education' has the meaning given such
term in section 101 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20
U.S.C. 1001).
``(7) Low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt.--The
term `low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt' means
cement, concrete, asphalt binder, or asphalt mixture that
reduces, to the maximum extent practicable, greenhouse gas or
directly-related copollutant emissions to levels below
commercially available cement, concrete, or asphalt.
``(8) Rural area.--The term `rural area' has the meaning
given such term in section 343(a) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1991(a)).
``(b) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary shall
establish a program of research, development, demonstration,
and commercial application of advanced tools, technologies,
and methods for advanced production and use of low-emissions
cement, concrete, and asphalt in order to accomplish the
following:
``(1) Increase the technological and economic
competitiveness of industry and production in the United
States.
``(2) Expand and increase the stability of supply chains
through enhanced domestic production, nearshoring, and
cooperation with allies.
``(3) Achieve measurable greenhouse gas or directly related
copollutant emissions reductions in the production processes
for cement, concrete, and asphalt products.
``(4) Create quality domestic jobs.
``(c) Requirements.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall carry out the following:
``(1) Coordinate with the programs and activities
authorized under title VI of division Z of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (relating to industrial and
manufacturing technologies) and the amendments made by such
title.
``(2) Coordinate across all relevant program offices of the
Department, including the Office of Science, the Advanced
Research Projects Agency-Energy, the Office of Clean Energy
Demonstrations, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy, the Office of Industrial
Efficiency and Decarbonization, the Office of Manufacturing
and Energy Supply Chains, and the Office of Nuclear Energy.
``(3) Leverage, to the extent practicable, the research
infrastructure of the Department, including scientific
computing user facilities, x-ray light sources, neutron
scattering facilities, and nanoscale science research
centers.
``(4) Conduct research, development, demonstration, and
commercial application of the advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt that have the
potential to increase domestic production and employment in
both advanced and commercially available processes.
``(d) Strategic Plan.--
``(1) In general.--Not later than 180 days after the
establishment of the program under subsection (b), the
Secretary shall develop a 5-year strategic plan identifying
research, development, demonstration, and commercial
application goals for such program. The Secretary shall
submit such plan to the Committee on Science, Space, and
Technology of the House of Representatives and the Committee
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate.
``(2) Contents.--The strategic plan under paragraph (1)
shall--
[[Page H1210]]
``(A) identify programs at the Department related to the
advanced production of low-emissions cement, concrete, and
asphalt that support the research, development,
demonstration, and commercial application activities
described in this section, and the demonstration projects
under subsection (f);
``(B) establish technological and programmatic goals to
achieve the requirements specified in subsection (c); and
``(C) include timelines for the accomplishment of such
goals developed under the plan.
``(3) Updates to plan.--Not less than once every two years,
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Science,
Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives and the
Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate an
updated version of the strategic plan under paragraph (1).
``(e) Focus Areas.--In carrying out the program under
subsection (b), the Secretary shall focus on the following:
``(1) Carbon capture technologies for low-emissions cement,
concrete, and asphalt production processes, which may include
the following:
``(A) Oxycombustion and chemical looping technologies.
``(B) Precombustion technologies.
``(C) Post combustion technologies.
``(D) Direct carbon dioxide separation technologies.
``(2) Materials, technologies, inputs, and processes that--
``(A) produce fewer greenhouse gas or directly related
copollutant emissions during production, use, and end use of
cement, concrete, and asphalt; or
``(B) provide quality, durability, resilience, engineering,
or other performance metrics equal to or greater than
commercially available products.
``(3) Medium- and high-temperature heat-generation
technologies used for the advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt, which may include
the following:
``(A) Alternative fuels.
``(B) Renewable heat-generation and storage technology.
``(C) Electrification of heating processes.
``(D) Other clean heat-generation technologies and sources.
``(4) Technologies and practices that increase the
efficiency of energy use, natural resource consumption, or
material demand, which may include the following:
``(A) Designing products that encourage reuse,
refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling.
``(B) Minimizing waste, including waste heat, from low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt production processes,
including through the reuse of waste as a resource in other
industrial processes for mutual benefit.
``(C) Increasing the overall energy efficiency of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt production processes,
including through life cycle assessments.
``(5) Technologies and approaches to reduce greenhouse gas
or directly related copollutant emissions from the advanced
production of cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(6) High-performance computing to develop advanced
materials and production processes that may contribute to the
focus areas described in paragraphs (1) through (5),
including the following:
``(A) Modeling, simulation, and optimization of the design
of cost-effective and energy-efficient products and
processes.
``(B) The use of digital prototyping and additive
production to enhance product design.
``(7) Advanced sensor technologies and methods to monitor
and quantify the performance of low-emissions cement,
concrete, and asphalt materials at scale and under a variety
of conditions.
``(8) Technologies that can be retrofitted at cement,
concrete, and asphalt plants that represent the most common
facility types in the United States and in other countries,
with consideration for field validation of such retrofits.
``(9) Best practices for data standardization and data
sharing tools and technologies, in coordination with relevant
Federal agencies.
``(10) Fundamental research in chemistry and materials
science to identify the following:
``(A) Novel materials and alternative domestic feedstocks
and processing operations for the advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(B) Improved understanding by eligible entities of the
mechanisms that determine the performance and durability of
low-emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt over time.
``(f) Demonstrations.--
``(1) Establishment.--Not later than 180 days after the
date of the enactment of this section, the Secretary, in
carrying out the program under subsection (b), and in
collaboration with the Secretary of Transportation, the
Administrator of General Services, industry partners,
institutions of higher education, and National Laboratories,
shall support demonstrations of advanced production of low-
emissions cement, concrete, and asphalt that uses either--
``(A) a single technology or practice; or
``(B) a combination of multiple technologies or practices.
``(2) Selection requirements.--In carrying out the
demonstrations under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall
select eligible entities to carry out demonstration projects
and to the maximum extent practicable--
``(A) encourage regional diversity among eligible entities,
including participation by entities located in rural areas;
``(B) encourage technological diversity among eligible
entities; and
``(C) ensure that specific projects selected--
``(i) expand on the existing technology demonstration
programs of the Department;
``(ii) are based on the extent of greenhouse gas emissions
reductions achieved; and
``(iii) prioritize leveraging matching funds from non-
Federal sources.
``(3) Reports.--The Secretary shall submit to the Committee
on Science, Space, and Technology of the House of
Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Natural
Resources of the Senate--
``(A) not less frequently than once every two years for the
duration of the demonstrations under paragraph (1), a report
describing the performance of such demonstrations; and
``(B) if any such demonstration is terminated, an
assessment of the success of, and education provided by, the
measures carried out by such demonstration.
``(4) Termination.--The Secretary may terminate the
demonstrations under paragraph (1) if the Secretary
determines that sufficient low-emissions cement, concrete,
and asphalt produced through advanced production are
commercially available domestically at a price comparable to
the price of cement, concrete, and asphalt produced through
traditional methods of production.
``(g) Technical Assistance Program.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary, in consultation with the
Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Commerce
(acting through the Director of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology), the Administrator of General
Services, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection
Agency, and appropriate representatives of relevant standards
development organizations, shall provide technical assistance
to eligible entities to carry out an activity described in
paragraph (2) to promote the commercial application of
technologies for the production and use of low-emissions
cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(2) Activities described.--An activity referred to in
paragraph (1) is any of the following:
``(A) Efforts related to collecting data that could be used
in the updating of local codes, specifications, and standards
to engineering performance-based standards.
``(B) A lifecycle assessment of the final product.
``(C) An environmental impact comparison between different
cements, concretes, and asphalts.
``(D) A techno-economic assessment.
``(E) An environmental permitting or other regulatory
process.
``(F) An evaluation or testing activity.
``(G) Any other activity that promotes the commercial
application of technologies developed through the program
under subsection (b).
``(3) Applications.--The Secretary shall seek applications
for technical assistance under this subsection--
``(A) on a competitive basis; and
``(B) on a periodic basis, but not less frequently than
once every 12 months.
``(4) Regional centers.--The Secretary may designate or
establish one or more regional centers to provide technical
assistance to eligible entities to carry out the activity
described in paragraph (2)(A).
``(h) Additional Coordination.--
``(1) Manufacturing usa.--In carrying out this section the
Secretary shall consider the following:
``(A) Leveraging the resources of relevant existing
Manufacturing USA Institutes described in section 34(d) of
the National Institute of Standards and Technology Act (15
U.S.C. 278s(d)).
``(B) Integrating program activities into a relevant
existing Manufacturing USA Institute.
``(C) Awarding financial assistance, consistent with
section 34(e) of the National Institute of Standards and
Technology Act (15 U.S.C. 278s(e)), to a person or group of
persons to assist the person or group of persons in planning,
establishing, or supporting a Manufacturing U.S.A. Institute
focused on advanced production of low-emissions cement,
concrete, and asphalt.
``(2) Other federal agencies.--In carrying out this
section, the Secretary shall coordinate with other Federal
agencies, including the Department of Defense, the Department
of Transportation, and the National Institute of Standards
and Technology, that are carrying out research and
development initiatives to increase industrial
competitiveness and achieve measurable greenhouse gas or
directly related copollutant emissions reductions through the
advanced production of cement, concrete, and asphalt.
``(i) Sunset.--This section shall terminate seven years
after the date of the enactment of this section.
``(j) Research Security.--The activities authorized under
this section shall be applied in a manner consistent with
subtitle D of title VI of the Research and Development,
Competition, and Innovation Act (enacted as division B of
Public Law 117-167 (42 U.S.C. 19231 et seq.)).
``(k) Rule of Construction.--Nothing in this section may be
construed to amend, alter, or affect the authorities of the
Secretary to define, establish, or enforce new environmental
industry standards for, or related to, cement, concrete, or
asphalt.''.
(b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents in section
1(b) of the Infrastructure
[[Page H1211]]
Investment and Jobs Act is amended by inserting after the
item relating to section 40522 the following new item:
``Sec. 40523. Advanced cement, concrete, and asphalt production
research program.''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Babin) and the gentlewoman from Michigan (Ms. Stevens) each
will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.
General Leave
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H.R. 1534, the bill now under
consideration.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Texas?
There was no objection.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 1534, the Innovative
Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, or
IMPACT Act.
Today, much of the world is reliant on cement and concrete produced
in China, which is home to the world's largest cement industry. It
should go without saying that it is a big problem to be at the whims of
the Chinese Communist Party when it comes to materials that are
absolutely critical to our national defense, economic security, and our
energy independence.
Beyond that, this reliance comes with severe negative environmental
impacts. China's greenhouse gas emissions exceed all of the developed
nations in the world combined. In fact, U.S. industrial manufacturing
is nearly 28 percent cleaner than our competitors, including China.
If we want a cleaner, healthier environment and global security, U.S.
leadership in this sector is an absolute must. The IMPACT Act ensures
this by propelling America to the front in the cement, concrete, and
asphalt industries. It will increase our Nation's competitiveness
against global adversaries while also achieving significant reductions
in emissions from manufacturing processes.
Specifically, this bill supports the research and development of
innovative technologies, primarily at the Department of Energy. It
builds off the cross-cutting Industrial Emissions Reduction Technology
Development program established by the Energy Act of 2020 and provides
specific direction for the advancement of tools, technologies, and
methods related to cement, concrete, and asphalt production.
Concrete is the second most commonly used material on Earth,
surpassed only by water. The demand is unlikely to decrease soon,
making it crucial to allocate the Federal Government's top scientific
resources to assist manufacturers in meeting our strategic goals, while
ensuring the concrete supply that supports our economy continues to
grow and thrive.
The IMPACT Act positions our country to rise to that challenge and
become a resource for the entire world.
I thank Science, Space, and Technology Committee members, Mr. Miller
and Mrs. Foushee, for cosponsoring this bill and working in a
bipartisan fashion.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my House colleagues to support this bill,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I enthusiastically rise in support of the Innovation
Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete Technologies Act, or
the IMPACT Act, H.R. 1534.
A good gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller) and a fantastic gentlewoman
from North Carolina (Mrs. Foushee) have reintroduced this bipartisan
bill, and I salute them.
Mrs. Foushee is very much a leader on the Science, Space, and
Technology Committee, a cutting-edge voice in artificial intelligence,
a ranking member on the Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee, and we are
very grateful for her leadership and acumen here.
As our chair just extrapolated, the United States produces
approximately 95 million metric tons of cement each year, representing
nearly 400 million cubic yards of concrete, with another 454 million
metric tons of asphalt pavement materials produced per year.
Now, as a Member of Congress, I am not fully in the composites
business, but we must understand where our materials come from and how
they are procured and produced. We must look it squarely in the face as
to how we do not remain overly reliant on competitive countries for
access.
A byproduct of these industrial processes are certainly greenhouse
gas emissions. There is a State representative from Michigan, State
Representative Kelly Breen of Novi, who has, on occasion, spoken to me
at length about the materials used in our roads. We know right now that
the byproduct of the industrial processes for these cement applications
accounts for 8 percent of human-induced carbon dioxide emissions.
Now, I come from the Motor City. We like our paved roads. We like
access to cement. Demand is not decreasing. It is going up. Demand is
expected to increase by 12 percent when we hit the mid-21st century
mark.
We here in the United States of America are building roads, bridges,
factories, schools, so many things. It is really quite exciting, and
the IMPACT Act can play a role. The bill will improve cost-
effectiveness, durability, and material demand efficiency of widely
used cement, and similar materials while achieving measurable
greenhouse gas emissions reductions in their production processes. We
like to call this a win-win.
H.R. 1534 would also accomplish this goal by directing the Secretary
of Energy to support research, development, and demonstration of
innovative technologies that could become commercially viable.
{time} 1545
Again, the State representative from Michigan, Kelly Breen, has
talked to me about her desire to see this in Oakland County, Michigan.
We have been working on this in the Motor City.
My colleagues from North Carolina and Ohio have put forward national
legislation that will benefit us all, and we have got next-generation
technologies that are a significant improvement over the processes used
by these industries today, ensuring that we can continue to build while
reducing negative environmental impacts that come about from producing
building materials.
We have a good, practical bill to maximize our production
capabilities while minimizing any negative impacts, and we have
research and development and demonstration of novel cement, concrete,
and asphalt processes.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on a bill I am very
excited about, H.R. 1534, and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller).
Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R.
1534, the Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete
Technologies Act, or more simply known as the IMPACT Act, which is a
lot easier to say.
I introduced this bill with my Science Committee colleague Mrs.
Foushee because we understand that the production of cement, concrete,
and asphalt play a fundamental role in supporting United States
infrastructure, national defense, and economic security.
The cement and concrete industry contributes over $130 billion to the
United States economy and employs over 577,000 people. In Ohio alone,
this industry has an economic contribution of $4.6 billion to the
State.
It is no secret that the processes behind these products are
extremely difficult to decarbonize and that American cement and
concrete manufacturers must compete in a market that increasingly
values lower carbon products. The leading companies and associations of
this industry have committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050
and have made impressive progress thus far, reducing their carbon
footprint by 21 percent since 2014.
However, more progress can be made. With projected demand for cement
expected to increase 12 percent by 2050, utilizing the best scientific
resources of the Federal Government will help manufacturers further
reduce emissions of the products essential to our economy and
civilization.
The IMPACT Act will support those resources while strengthening and
enhancing the competitiveness of American manufacturing through
advanced
[[Page H1212]]
technologies that can be exported around the globe.
We all want to see cement, concrete, and asphalt production continue
to rise and help grow our country. That is critical to our economic
well-being. We all want to see this growth go hand in hand with
environmental stewardship, leaving our air and water just as pristine
for the next generation.
The IMPACT Act builds on previous industrial decarbonization efforts
by focusing specifically on cement, concrete, and asphalt. It enables
industry and the Department of Energy to work collaboratively on
fundamental research that will enhance existing production methods and
unlock new, innovative techniques. This will ensure that the world-
class tools and technologies at DOE are being used by the very
taxpayers who funded them.
It also enables DOE, in consultation with other Federal agencies, to
offer technical assistance to entities seeking to promote the
commercial application of low-emission cement, concrete, and asphalt.
This ensures that industry can continue their cutting-edge research
unencumbered, but if they do hit a roadblock, there are subject matter
experts available to assist them.
This bill is the perfect example of how the Federal Government can
advance tangible environmental goals for construction material
production without sacrificing material performance or, more
importantly, economic growth that benefits every single citizen
throughout our country.
I thank the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Mrs. Foushee) for
cosponsoring this bill and working in a bipartisan fashion to get it
here today. I urge all my colleagues to support this bill.
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from
North Carolina (Mrs. Foushee) to speak on behalf of H.R. 1534.
Mrs. FOUSHEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 1534, the
bipartisan Innovative Mitigation Partnerships for Asphalt and Concrete
Technologies Act, or the IMPACT Act, which will strengthen the
competitiveness of American manufacturing through innovation and
development of technologies to decarbonize and improve the efficiency
of cement, concrete, and asphalt production.
U.S. producers are leading the way in the innovation of critical
building materials production, and we have a real opportunity in front
of us to bolster our Nation's infrastructure while making significant
strides to reduce global emissions.
The climate crisis remains one of the most pressing issues of our
lifetime, and it is vital that we take action now by investing in clean
technologies and creating pathways here at home to accelerate and
commercialize these new opportunities to reduce harmful emissions.
Globally, cement manufacturing accounts for nearly 8 percent of all
carbon emissions, and we have a unique opportunity to reduce pollution
in industrial emissions by creating new manufacturing opportunities
here at home that can take the place of aging processes based on fossil
fuels.
This bill will enable partnerships between industry, innovators, and
the U.S. Government that will enhance existing production methods,
unlock new and innovative techniques, and offer technical assistance to
entities seeking to promote the application of low-emission cement,
concrete, and asphalt.
Together, the IMPACT Act--alongside IMPACT Act 2.0, introduced in the
House earlier this month by Congressman Miller and me, and the Senate's
Concrete and Asphalt Innovation Act, led by Senators Coons and Tillis--
will bolster U.S.-led efforts to deploy clean technologies in the
industrial sector while enhancing the global competitiveness of
American innovation.
The United States is leading the way into the 21st century, and this
can be seen in my own district, North Carolina's Fourth, where local
startup Biomason is revolutionizing the cement industry through its use
of biotechnology to manufacture low-carbon concrete.
With global demand for building materials set to rise through this
century, we must prioritize investments in advanced materials science
and scale-up domestic manufacturing by fostering an innovation pipeline
that creates jobs and enhances our competitiveness on the world stage.
This bill does just that.
With this commonsense piece of legislation, everyone wins. It will
help us achieve measurable and meaningful emissions reductions,
modernize manufacturing, and improve workers' health and public health,
all while creating good-paying jobs across America.
I am proud to join Representative Max Miller in introducing the
IMPACT Act, which passed the House last Congress and through the House
Science Committee unanimously. It has received strong and bicameral
support from industry and industry partners, innovators, climate
organizations, manufacturing, and trade associations nationwide.
I encourage my colleagues to support this bipartisan and commonsense
legislation, which will unlock innovation and clean manufacturing in
the United States, create domestic job opportunities, and protect our
planet.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I am
prepared to close. I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. STEVENS. Mr. Speaker, I also have no further requests for time to
speak on this bill, and I yield myself the balance of my time to close.
Mr. Speaker, I again thank my colleagues from the committee, Mr.
Miller and Mrs. Foushee, for their work on this bill. I urge a ``yes''
vote on H.R. 1534. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time.
Mr. Speaker, H.R. 1534 is commonsense legislation that passed
unanimously last Congress. It has the support of major industry
associations, including the Portland Cement Association, the National
Asphalt Pavement Association, and the National Ready Mixed Concrete
Association. It also has the endorsement of those groups affected by
downstream impacts, like the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association and
Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions.
This diverse support is a testament to just how important it is for
the United States to retain its global competitive edge when it comes
to advanced industrial technologies.
I urge my colleagues to join me in backing this bill, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin) that the House suspend the rules and
pass the bill, H.R. 1534.
The question was taken.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this motion will be postponed.
____________________