[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 14596-14598]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 STEEL AND ALUMINUM ENERGY CONSERVATION AND TECHNOLOGY COMPETITIVENESS 
                      ACT OF 1988 REAUTHORIZATION

  Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill 
(H.R. 3890) to reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation 
and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988, as amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 3890

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

     SECTION 1. AMENDMENTS.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 9 of the 
     Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology 
     Competitiveness Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 5108) is amended to 
     read as follows:

     ``SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       ``There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary 
     to carry out this Act for fiscal year 2005, an amount equal 
     to the amount appropriated for the same purposes for fiscal 
     year 2004, and $20,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2006 
     through 2009.''.
       (b) Steel Project Priorities.--Section 4(c)(1) of the Steel 
     and Aluminum Energy Conservation and Technology 
     Competitiveness Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 5103(c)(1)) is 
     amended--
       (1) in subparagraph (H), by striking ``coatings for sheet 
     steels'' and inserting ``sheet and bar steels''; and

[[Page 14597]]

       (2) by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
       ``(K) The development of technologies which reduce 
     greenhouse gas emissions.''.
       (c) Conforming Amendments.--The Steel and Aluminum Energy 
     Conservation and Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988 is 
     further amended--
       (1) by striking section 7 (15 U.S.C. 5106); and
       (2) in section 4(b)--
       (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``and Report'' 
     after ``Management Plan'';
       (B) by striking ``Within 6 months after the date of 
     enactment of this Act'' and inserting ``Not later than 6 
     months after the date of enactment of the Act enacting this 
     sentence'';
       (C) by striking ``to expand the steel research and 
     development initiative to include aluminum and''; and
       (D) by inserting ``, and shall transmit such plan to 
     Congress'' after ``carry out the purposes of this Act''.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) and the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Moore) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart).


                             General Leave

  Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks 
and include extraneous material on H.R. 3890, as amended.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentlewoman from Pennsylvania?
  There was no objection.
  Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the gentlewoman from 
Illinois (Chairman Biggert) and the ranking member, the gentleman from 
Connecticut (Mr. Larson) of the Subcommittee on Energy of the Committee 
on Science, and also the gentleman from New York (Chairman Boehlert) 
and the ranking member, the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Gordon) of 
the full Committee on Science, for working with me on H.R. 3890, a bill 
which will reauthorize the Steel and Aluminum Energy Conservation and 
Technology Competitiveness Act of 1988.
  The legislation reauthorizes the Steel and Aluminum Competitiveness 
Act of 1988, which established a public-private research initiative, 
with cost sharing from industry, focused on improving industrial energy 
efficiency in the steel and aluminum smelting and fabrication 
industries.
  The bill would result in improved energy efficiency in the domestic 
metals industries, thereby improving our international competitiveness 
in those industries. Improved industrial energy efficiency also offers 
environmental benefits through reduced emissions per unit of steel or 
aluminum produced. It can also help reduce the future demand for energy 
in the industrial sector, which is extremely important as we see rising 
fuel prices.
  The bill authorizes $13.3 million for this program in fiscal year 
2005, the same level that was appropriated for fiscal year 2004. For 
the outyears, that is, fiscal years 2006 through 2009, the bill 
authorizes $20 million per year, for a total $93.3 million over the 5-
year cycle of the legislation.
  This bill is right for industry, Mr. Speaker; it is good for our 
energy security, and it is good for the environment.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. 
Hart) for her work on H.R. 3890, a bill to reauthorize the steel and 
aluminum research and development program at the Department of Energy. 
This energy conservation program is part of the Industries of the 
Future program in DOE's Office of Industrial Technologies. It is 
carried out through cost-shared partnerships with industry.
  Past research under this program has made such steel mills and 
aluminum production facilities less polluting, more efficient and more 
productive.
  The budgets for such programs have been cut significantly during the 
past 3 years, Mr. Speaker. This sends the wrong message to American 
workers, who are relying on these industries to remain competitive in a 
global market.
  By reauthorizing the metals R&D program at H.R. 3890's authorization 
funding levels, we can give appropriate support for this research 
program. Restoring this funding will benefit the domestic steel and 
aluminum industries, the manufacturers who use American steel and 
aluminum in their products, and, ultimately, the American consumer.
  Mr. Speaker, I recommend support for the bill by my colleagues.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy).
  Mr. MURPHY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the gentlewoman from 
Pennsylvania, for her work on this bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to support the reauthorization of this very 
worthy program. As we all know, the last few years have been difficult 
for America's steel industry and continuing the Metals Initiative will 
go a long way towards easing those burdens.
  This Nation's steel industry is second to none, and it is this 
Congress' responsibility to do everything in its power to enable 
American-produced steel to compete in a global economy.
  The Metals Initiative lends private industry the resources it needs 
to develop energy-saving technologies that increase productivity and 
cut pollution. These innovations are a vital component to a strong 
American steel industry.
  I can think of few other programs that offer so much with a prudent 
investment. Not only does this program create jobs by making the steel 
industry more competitive and reduce environmental impacts caused by 
steel production, but any costs incurred are recouped. A portion of all 
royalties realized by these new technologies are repaid until the full 
Federal investment has been recovered.
  At a recent hearing held by the Subcommittee on Energy of the 
Committee on Science, U.S. Steel cited just one example of how the 
company has utilized these moneys. Several projects have been funded 
through the Metals Initiative to research and develop Advanced High 
Strength Steels.
  This steel allows for the creation of lightweight cars that maintain 
the same standards of safety currently available to today's drivers. By 
using Metals Initiative funds, Advanced High Strength Steels production 
requires 171 million fewer gallons of gasoline, 4 million fewer barrels 
of oil, and emits 2.1 million fewer tons of carbon dioxide per year.
  Such innovation reduces our dependency on both foreign steel and 
foreign oil, while further contributing to a safer road system and a 
healthier environment for us all.
  This Nation would not be what it is today were it not for the 
contributions of the American Steel Industry and American steelworkers. 
Congress should recognize the significant strides the industry has 
taken to remain competitive despite many obstacles.
  I strongly urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3890.
  Mr. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Ms. HART. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, this initiative is one that is not as common for 
government, I think, as the American people would like to see. It is 
designed to help industry to become more efficient in its processes, 
but also more efficient in its use of energy. So, in the long run, it 
helps preserve American jobs.
  That is why we are here today, Mr. Speaker. We are working on 
efficiency in technology and efficiency in energy use and, obviously, 
better emissions.

                              {time}  1145

  It is important to our industries to be competitive worldwide as we 
move this legislation forward.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Boozman). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3890, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds having voted in favor 
thereof) the rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.

[[Page 14598]]

  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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