[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 7673-7682]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          H-PRIZE ACT OF 2006

  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the 
rules and pass the bill (H.R. 5143) to authorize the Secretary of 
Energy to establish monetary prizes for achievements in overcoming 
scientific and technical barriers associated with hydrogen energy, as 
amended.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                               H.R. 5143

       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 ``H-Prize Act of 2006''.

     SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

       In this Act:
       (1) Administering entity.--The term ``administering 
     entity'' means the entity with which the Secretary enters 
     into an agreement under section 3(c).
       (2) Department.--The term ``Department'' means the 
     Department of Energy.
       (3) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
     of Energy.

     SEC. 3. PRIZE AUTHORITY.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to 
     competitively award cash prizes only in conformity with this 
     Act to advance the research, development, demonstration, and 
     commercial application of hydrogen energy technologies.
       (b) Advertising and Solicitation of Competitors.--
       (1) Advertising.--The Secretary shall widely advertise 
     prize competitions to encourage broad participation, 
     including by individuals, universities (including 
     historically Black colleges and universities and other 
     minority serving institutions), and large and small 
     businesses (including businesses owned or controlled by 
     socially and economically disadvantaged persons).
       (2) Announcement through federal register notice.--The 
     Secretary shall announce each prize competition by publishing 
     a notice in the Federal Register. This notice shall include 
     the subject of the competition, the duration of the 
     competition, the eligibility requirements for participation 
     in the competition, the process for participants to register 
     for the competition, the amount of the prize, and the 
     criteria for awarding the prize.
       (c) Administering the Competitions.--The Secretary shall 
     enter into an agreement with a private, nonprofit entity to 
     administer the prize competitions, subject to the provisions 
     of this Act. The duties of the administering entity under the 
     agreement shall include--
       (1) advertising prize competitions and their results;
       (2) raising funds from private entities and individuals to 
     pay for administrative costs and to contribute to cash 
     prizes;
       (3) working with the Secretary to develop the criteria for 
     selecting winners in prize competitions, based on goals 
     provided by the Secretary;
       (4) determining, in consultation with the Secretary, the 
     appropriate amount for each prize to be awarded;
       (5) selecting judges in accordance with section 4(d), using 
     criteria developed in consultation with the Secretary; and
       (6) preventing the unauthorized use or disclosure of a 
     registered participant's intellectual property, trade 
     secrets, and confidential business information.
       (d) Funding Sources.--Prizes under this Act shall consist 
     of Federal appropriated funds and any funds provided by the 
     administering entity (including funds raised pursuant to 
     subsection (c)(2)) for such cash prizes. The Secretary may 
     accept funds from other Federal agencies for such cash 
     prizes. The Secretary may not give any special consideration 
     to any private sector entity or individual in return for a 
     donation to the administering entity.
       (e) Announcement of Prizes.--The Secretary may not issue a 
     notice required by subsection (b)(2) until all the funds 
     needed to pay out the announced amount of the prize have been 
     appropriated or committed in writing by the administering 
     entity. The Secretary may increase the amount of a prize 
     after an initial announcement is made under subsection (b)(2) 
     if--
       (1) notice of the increase is provided in the same manner 
     as the initial notice of the prize; and
       (2) the funds needed to pay out the announced amount of the 
     increase have been appropriated or committed in writing by 
     the administering entity.
       (f) Sunset.--The authority to announce prize competitions 
     under this Act shall terminate on September 30, 2017.

     SEC. 4. PRIZE CATEGORIES.

       (a) Categories.--The Secretary shall establish prizes for--
       (1) advancements in components or systems related to--
       (A) hydrogen production;
       (B) hydrogen storage;
       (C) hydrogen distribution; and
       (D) hydrogen utilization;
       (2) prototypes of hydrogen-powered vehicles or other 
     hydrogen-based products that best meet or exceed objective 
     performance criteria, such as completion of a race over a 
     certain distance or terrain or generation of energy at 
     certain levels of efficiency; and
       (3) transformational changes in technologies for the 
     distribution or production of hydrogen that meet or exceed 
     far-reaching objective criteria, which shall include minimal 
     carbon emissions and which may include cost criteria designed 
     to facilitate the eventual market success of a winning 
     technology.
       (b) Awards.--
       (1) Advancements.--To the extent permitted under section 
     3(e), the prizes authorized under subsection (a)(1) shall be 
     awarded biennially to the most significant advance made in 
     each of the four subcategories described in subparagraphs (A) 
     through (D) of subsection (a)(1) since the submission 
     deadline of the previous prize competition in the same 
     category under subsection (a)(1) or the date of enactment of 
     this Act, whichever is

[[Page 7674]]

     later, unless no such advance is significant enough to merit 
     an award. No one such prize may exceed $1,000,000. If less 
     than $4,000,000 is available for a prize competition under 
     subsection (a)(1), the Secretary may omit one or more 
     subcategories, reduce the amount of the prizes, or not hold a 
     prize competition.
       (2) Prototypes.--To the extent permitted under section 
     3(e), prizes authorized under subsection (a)(2) shall be 
     awarded biennially in alternate years from the prizes 
     authorized under subsection (a)(1). The Secretary is 
     authorized to award up to one prize in this category in each 
     2-year period. No such prize may exceed $4,000,000. If no 
     registered participants meet the objective performance 
     criteria established pursuant to subsection (c) for a 
     competition under this paragraph, the Secretary shall not 
     award a prize.
       (3) Transformational technologies.--To the extent permitted 
     under section 3(e), the Secretary shall announce one prize 
     competition authorized under subsection (a)(3) as soon after 
     the date of enactment of this Act as is practicable. A prize 
     offered under this paragraph shall be not less than 
     $10,000,000, paid to the winner in a lump sum, and an 
     additional amount paid to the winner as a match for each 
     dollar of private funding raised by the winner for the 
     hydrogen technology beginning on the date the winner was 
     named. The match shall be provided for 3 years after the date 
     the prize winner is named or until the full amount of the 
     prize has been paid out, whichever occurs first. A prize 
     winner may elect to have the match amount paid to another 
     entity that is continuing the development of the winning 
     technology. The Secretary shall announce the rules for 
     receiving the match in the notice required by section 
     3(b)(2). The Secretary shall award a prize under this 
     paragraph only when a registered participant has met the 
     objective criteria established for the prize pursuant to 
     subsection (c) and announced pursuant to section 3(b)(2). Not 
     more than $10,000,000 in Federal funds may be used for the 
     prize award under this paragraph. The administering entity 
     shall seek to raise $40,000,000 toward the matching award 
     under this paragraph.
       (c) Criteria.--In establishing the criteria required by 
     this Act, the Secretary shall consult with--
       (1) the Department's Hydrogen Technical and Fuel Cell 
     Advisory Committee;
       (2) other Federal agencies, including the National Science 
     Foundation; and
       (3) private organizations, including professional 
     societies, industry associations, and the National Academy of 
     Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.
       (d) Judges.--For each prize competition, the Secretary 
     shall assemble a panel of qualified judges to select the 
     winner or winners on the basis of the criteria established 
     under subsection (c). Judges for each prize competition shall 
     include individuals from outside the Department, including 
     from the private sector. A judge may not--
       (1) have personal or financial interests in, or be an 
     employee, officer, director, or agent of, any entity that is 
     a registered participant in the prize competition for which 
     he or she will serve as a judge; or
       (2) have a familial or financial relationship with an 
     individual who is a registered participant in the prize 
     competition for which he or she will serve as a judge.

     SEC. 5. ELIGIBILITY.

       To be eligible to win a prize under this Act, an individual 
     or entity--
       (1) shall have complied with all the requirements in 
     accordance with the Federal Register notice required under 
     section 3(b)(2);
       (2) in the case of a private entity, shall be incorporated 
     in and maintain a primary place of business in the United 
     States, and in the case of an individual, whether 
     participating singly or in a group, shall be a citizen of, or 
     an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence in, the 
     United States; and
       (3) shall not be a Federal entity, a Federal employee 
     acting within the scope of his employment, or an employee of 
     a national laboratory acting within the scope of his 
     employment.

     SEC. 6. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.

       The Federal Government shall not, by virtue of offering or 
     awarding a prize under this Act, be entitled to any 
     intellectual property rights derived as a consequence of, or 
     direct relation to, the participation by a registered 
     participant in a competition authorized by this Act. This 
     section shall not be construed to prevent the Federal 
     Government from negotiating a license for the use of 
     intellectual property developed for a prize competition under 
     this Act.

     SEC. 7. LIABILITY.

       (a) Waiver of Liability.--The Secretary may require 
     registered participants to waive claims against the Federal 
     Government and the administering entity (except claims for 
     willful misconduct) for any injury, death, damage, or loss of 
     property, revenue, or profits arising from the registered 
     participants' participation in a competition under this Act. 
     The Secretary shall give notice of any waiver required under 
     this subsection in the notice required by section 3(b)(2). 
     The Secretary may not require a registered participant to 
     waive claims against the administering entity arising out of 
     the unauthorized use or disclosure by the administering 
     entity of the registered participant's intellectual property, 
     trade secrets, or confidential business information.
       (b) Liability Insurance.--
       (1) Requirements.--Registered participants shall be 
     required to obtain liability insurance or demonstrate 
     financial responsibility, in amounts determined by the 
     Secretary, for claims by--
       (A) a third party for death, bodily injury, or property 
     damage or loss resulting from an activity carried out in 
     connection with participation in a competition under this 
     Act; and
       (B) the Federal Government for damage or loss to Government 
     property resulting from such an activity.
       (2) Federal government insured.--The Federal Government 
     shall be named as an additional insured under a registered 
     participant's insurance policy required under paragraph 
     (1)(A), and registered participants shall be required to 
     agree to indemnify the Federal Government against third party 
     claims for damages arising from or related to competition 
     activities.

     SEC. 8. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       (a) Authorization of Appropriations.--
       (1) Awards.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
     Secretary for the period encompassing fiscal years 2007 
     through 2016 for carrying out this Act--
       (A) $20,000,000 for awards described in section (4)(a)(1);
       (B) $20,000,000 for awards described in section 4(a)(2); 
     and
       (C) $10,000,000 for the award described in section 4(a)(3).
       (2) Administration.--In addition to the amounts authorized 
     in paragraph (1), there are authorized to be appropriated to 
     the Secretary for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2016 
     $2,000,000 for the administrative costs of carrying out this 
     Act.
       (b) Carryover of Funds.--Funds appropriated for prize 
     awards under this Act shall remain available until expended, 
     and may be transferred, reprogrammed, or expended for other 
     purposes only after the expiration of 10 fiscal years after 
     the fiscal year for which the funds were originally 
     appropriated. No provision in this Act permits obligation or 
     payment of funds in violation of section 1341 of title 31 of 
     the United States Code (commonly referred to as the Anti-
     Deficiency Act).

     SEC. 9. NONSUBSTITUTION.

       The programs created under this Act shall not be considered 
     a substitute for Federal research and development programs.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Inglis) and the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Lipinski) each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from South Carolina.


                             General Leave

  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent 
that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their 
remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 5143, as amended, 
the bill now under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from South Carolina?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time 
as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H-Prize, an exciting opportunity to 
do for hydrogen what the X Prize did for entrepreneurial space flight. 
First of all, it is important for us to get a handle on what our need 
is, why it is that we are aiming at hydrogen, why we must accelerate 
the drive for hydrogen.

                              {time}  1045

  Probably a picture is worth a thousand words. So here is a picture of 
a gas line in China. As you can see, if that is the future, our 
addiction to oil becomes a significant problem for us.
  ExxonMobil predicts in their energy report at the end of last year 
that global energy demand will grow by 60 percent between now and 2030. 
The challenge, of course, for us in that is that that increase in 
global energy demand will necessitate a 40 percent increase in OPEC oil 
production. Even if they have got it, do we really want to be that much 
more dependent on countries in OPEC?
  So the idea is to figure out a way to break our addiction to oil, to 
move away from this dependence that we are currently in.
  The Ansari X PRIZE did for entrepreneurial space flight what the H-
Prize can do for hydrogen. As you know, Burt Rattan's spaceship won, 
became the first private spaceship in commercial use and flew within 2 
weeks successfully and back to the Earth. That

[[Page 7675]]

is the idea; that is the model that we are using here in the H-Prize.
  The H-Prize would basically set up three categories of prizes. The 
first is an every-other-year $1 million prize for breakthroughs in 
production, storage, distribution and utilization of hydrogen. Every 
other year, as well, we would issue a prize of $4 million for 
breakthroughs in prototypes. And then, within 10 years, a $10 million 
prize for the team that can transform from well to wheels essentially, 
or as one of our colleagues pointed out, from water to wheels, if you 
are thinking about splitting water to create hydrogen. That team that 
can do that transformation would win a $10 million prize, augmented, we 
hope, by up to $40 million worth of private money that would be added 
to the prize amount. That private money would be matched dollar for 
dollar to the venture capital that was raised by the team that does the 
transformation.
  So it is a way of testing the teams' ability to get us all the way to 
the government's objective, which is not to declare a winner in a 
science project, but rather, to get all the way to the marketplace. So 
if a team can do it, if they can break us through to the hydrogen 
economy, they would get the $10 million, but then they would get a 
dollar-for-dollar match of up to $40 million if we can raise that 
private money for their venture capital. And so they would have $50 
million to get to the marketplace.
  Now, along the way, we have had helpful suggestions from various 
members of the committee and other Members not on the committee. And it 
is true that there are other competing technologies. For example, a 
breakthrough in better batteries could supplant hydrogen. Better solar 
cells could replace or win out in this race to the fuel of the future. 
Those, I see, as the three big competitors: hydrogen, solar cells and 
then better batteries.
  What we hope to do in the H-Prize is incentivize the breakthroughs, 
the creativity that can get us to a hydrogen economy. Along the way I 
think I am hearing from other Members of Congress about possible other 
prizes that would incentivize perhaps solar or perhaps better battery 
technology.
  I think it makes sense to have prizes because the beauty of prizes, 
as we heard from Peter Diamondes, the founder of the X Prize, is, of 
course, if nobody wins, you don't pay the prize money. So the 
government basically gets the research done for free until somebody 
meets the metrics of the prize, and then we award the prize money. So I 
am very supportive of other prizes.
  It is also true that it has worked before. We have actually done 
prizes in the past. In fact, the transcontinental railroad essentially 
had some prizes in it, both dollar-per-mile for the railroad companies 
rewarded by the Congress, appropriations from this body, and also a 
great deal of land that was offered to the railroads if they could do 
this, if they could complete the transcontinental railroad.
  And, of course, the thing that I think we all need to be aware of is 
that this was done in 6 years. The transcontinental railroad was begun 
in 1863, completed in 1869. And you know, there was a lot going on 
during that time period. In fact, there was the Civil War under way. 
But the United States, with the support of the U.S. Congress, united 
east and west within 6 years. We can, because we have done it before.
  Now, in 1927 Charles Lindbergh won a prize for being the first to 
successfully go in a transcontinental flight across the Atlantic Ocean. 
That is a transatlantic flight over the Atlantic Ocean. And that prize 
incentivized him and caused him to go for it. There was a lot of risk 
involved in that, but he won it; and the face of aviation was changed 
because of it.
  So I submit to my colleagues here today that hydrogen is not as far 
away as we think it is. When we hear people talking about 10, 20, 30 
years away, particularly when they get into the 30 kind of time frame, 
most Americans start putting that way on the back burner and maybe even 
off of the stove. But it really is not that far away if we get with it.
  And the final example I would use for that is when President Kennedy 
announced in 1961 his goal of getting to the Moon before the decade was 
out, we did it in 1969. Within 8 years, the mission was accomplished.
  It is important to remember that that mission was accomplished using 
slide rules, not the computers that we have today. So with the 
capabilities we have today, there is every reason to believe we can 
break through if we would but just get with it. And I look forward to 
the debate from colleagues who will share this view that we can get 
there faster than we think.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5143, the H-Prize Act of 
2006, an innovative, forward-thinking bill that will spur the 
application of American ingenuity toward securing our energy future. I 
applaud Mr. Inglis for introducing this legislation, and I am proud to 
have joined him as a chief cosponsor of this bill.
  Right now, every American is affected by high energy prices. Working 
families, small businesses and consumers across the country are feeling 
the pinch with no end in sight. People aren't just paying more to fill 
their gas tanks or when they pay for their heating bills for their 
home; they are paying more at the grocery store, on air travel and for 
many other daily expenses. Local economies are suffering as people 
spend more on fuel and less on consumer goods and travel.
  The high prices also highlight the fact that the U.S. is too heavily 
dependent on fossil fuels that we import from unstable parts of the 
world. To protect our national security, we must become more energy 
secure.
  As we explore ways to bring price relief and bolster our country's 
energy independence, one significant energy source has emerged as a 
potential solution, hydrogen fuel cells.
  Hydrogen holds great promise to meet many of our future energy needs, 
and it addresses national security and our environmental concerns. 
Hydrogen is the simplest, most abundant element in the universe.
  Hydrogen fuel cells have already been developed to power cars. Last 
week I had the opportunity to drive a hydrogen-powered car built by 
Honda. It did not drive much differently than any other car that we 
drive, a gasoline-powered car that we have right now, except for the 
silence of the engine, which I am used to, having driven a Ford Escape 
hybrid for a couple of years.
  Although we do have this car that has been created, we could drive 
these few on the road, there are significant problems that must still 
be worked out before we can put a hydrogen car in every garage. For 
example, the weight of the fuel cells and batteries must be brought 
down. The range per fill-up must be extended. It is about 200 miles 
right now on the car that I drove. And most importantly, the price must 
be lowered very drastically. The car that I drove they told me cost 
about $1.5 million. So clearly, there are several significant 
technological advances that we must make. But these are within our 
reach.
  And when these advances are made, hydrogen can fill critical energy 
needs beyond transportation. Hydrogen can also be used to heat and 
generate electricity for our homes. The future possibilities of this 
energy source are enormous.
  By utilizing hydrogen, we can and will lessen our dependence on 
foreign fuels. Right now too much American time and resources are spent 
dealing with situations caused by our dependence on oil that we import 
from unstable countries. We must wean ourselves from these 
unpredictable energy sources while maintaining and strengthening our 
economy here at home. Hydrogen provides a way to achieve both.
  The environmental benefits of hydrogen are also outstanding. When 
used as an energy source, hydrogen produces no emissions besides water. 
Zero polluting emissions, an amazing advance over the current sources 
of energy that we use.

[[Page 7676]]

  H.R. 5143 seeks the development of needed advances in hydrogen 
technology by using our greatest national resource, our intelligent and 
creative workforce. To address our critical energy challenge we must 
bring our best and brightest to the task, and H-Prize does this.
  An economy based on energy outside of fossil fuels is no longer 
implausible. But to get there, we must invest in research and 
development. Research grants are the basis of this process, but what we 
have is a responsibility to find creative and new ways to inspire 
researchers, business leaders, and our youth to solve the problems that 
society faces. The H-Prize will help expand the possibilities of 
hydrogen research, promoting people not normally involved in Federal 
research and development to explore avenues for a more secure energy 
future.
  Hydrogen has the potential to reduce our Nation's dependence on 
foreign oil, improve our air quality and maintain our economic 
competitiveness. And the H-Prize will help take us there.
  I thank Mr. Inglis for his leadership on this important issue, and I 
am proud to have joined him in this effort. This legislation has 
involved much bipartisan cooperation on the Science Committee, which I 
appreciate, and it exemplifies the usual relationship on our committee 
under the leadership of Chairman Boehlert and Ranking Member Gordon.
  I hope that we can continue this cooperation on other critical issues 
related to America's future technological competitiveness. We must work 
together to encourage the creative talents that have made our country 
the world leader in technology.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this legislation which will provide 
some of the encouragement that will better our Nation and the world.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, with great appreciation 
for his skill and efficiency in moving the H-Prize through the 
committee, I am very happy to yield 5 minutes to the distinguished 
chairman of the Science Committee, Mr. Boehlert.
  Mr. BOEHLERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 5143. And 
I want to congratulate Chairman Inglis for bringing forward this 
initiative and for pursuing it with both energy and open-mindedness.
  This bill has moved swiftly through the Science Committee because 
Chairman Inglis has been, at the same time, relentlessly focused on his 
objective and open to compromise. That is how you get things 
accomplished in this town. We need more Members more able to pair those 
traits.
  The H-Prize this bill creates would similarly allow the government 
and the Nation to be both focused and open-minded in pursuit of the 
hydrogen economy.

                              {time}  1100

  Establishing an H-Prize would encourage the Nation's most creative 
scientists and engineers and the public at large to focus on overcoming 
the many technical challenges that stand between us and a hydrogen 
economy.
  At the same time, the H-Prize does not presume that any particular 
technological path will lead us to the hydrogen economy. The bill 
encourages any interested party to take on the technical risk needed to 
pursue their particular notion of how to improve their production, 
storage and distribution or use of hydrogen.
  The National Academy of Sciences has encouraged the government to 
experiment with prizes for precisely this reason. Prizes can draw out 
new ideas from scientists and engineers who may not be willing or able 
to participate in traditional government research and development 
programs, while encouraging them, rather than the taxpayer, to assume 
the risk.
  Congress has been following the academy's lead. For example, the NASA 
Authorization Act that was enacted last year created a prize program, 
and the space agency has been implementing it. All of these programs 
draw on several centuries of successfully using prizes to help spur 
technological development, from the prize to invent a way to measure 
longitude, a key to improving shipping, to the prize Charles Lindbergh 
won for his transatlantic flight. Our hope is that the H-Prize will 
result in a similar landmark achievement in the history of 
transportation.
  I want to emphasize, though, that the prizes are just one tool we 
need to use to kick our Nation's addiction to oil.
  Prizes need to be part of a balanced portfolio of measures to advance 
technology, a portfolio that needs to include regulations and tax 
incentives to create demand for new technologies, and traditional R&D 
programs to ensure a steady stream of work on a range of short and 
long-term technological questions.
  Moreover, prizes are not the best tools to apply to all problems, but 
they are especially well suited to hydrogen, because we need to solve 
major long-term puzzles if the hydrogen economy is to become a reality. 
We need to elicit every possible idea from every quarter to do that, 
and we know it is going to take time to figure out what might work.
  The bill structures the prize program to attack hydrogen questions in 
several ways: With biannual prizes for advancements to encouraging 
ongoing efforts and incremental progress, with biannual prizes for 
prototypes to encourage continuing work on integrating technologies as 
they develop, and with a grand prize to encourage work on the toughest 
show stopper, if you will, problems that could prevent us from using 
hydrogen as a fuel.
  No one knows how all of this will turn out. That is the nature of 
research and the nature of a prize program. But we know that the 
potential benefits of hydrogen are worth the rather small investment 
required for a prize program. Hydrogen holds out the promise of 
becoming a clean, domestically produced fuel that could displace or 
even replace gasoline as the way we power our cars and trucks.
  To achieve this, we still need to figure out how to affordably 
produce hydrogen using renewable energy, nuclear energy or coal with 
carbon dioxide sequestration, how to affordably store hydrogen on board 
a vehicle, how to make fuel cells and batteries more cheaply and have 
them operate more efficiently and how to distribute hydrogen 
economically.
  That is a tall order, but it is exactly the kind of long-range effort 
we need. It is an effort that needs to be combined with proven short-
range ways to reduce the use of gasoline like tighter fuel economy 
standards, which this House is likely to debate next week.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge support for this bill, which was approved by the 
committee by voice vote. It is the right way to help see if we can 
radically change our energy future. Our dependence on foreign oil is a 
national security threat.
  We have ways to use every weapon in our arsenal, and we need to use 
them to counter it.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield 7 minutes to the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Miller).
  Mr. MILLER of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I support this 
legislation, but there is so much more that we need to be doing. In 
fact, there is so much more that we should have done already. The task 
before us, the urgent task before us, is to develop a practical, 
sustainable energy source or array of sources that will allow this 
Nation to be energy independent without busting the budget of middle 
class families just to go to work, to take the kids to school, to go to 
the grocery store.
  We need practical, sustainable energy sources that do not emit the 
greenhouse gases that many scientists, really most scientists now fear 
will lead to catastrophic climate change, that will forever alter life 
on this planet, and we need practical, sustainable energy sources that 
will not so limit our options in foreign policy that we have to be 
uncritical friends to some of the most unattractive nations or 
governments in the world.
  Mr. Speaker, we do need to pursue research into hydrogen, but we need 
an effort comparable to the effort during World War II, the Manhattan 
Project. We need an effort, to use Mr. Inglis' analogy, like the effort 
that this Nation had in the 1960s to reach the Moon.
  That is the effort we need to put behind developing alternative fuels 
and

[[Page 7677]]

conservation technologies and to move those energy and conservation 
technologies into widespread commercial use.
  I have sponsored legislation that Mr. Boehlert, the Chair of the 
Science Committee who spoke a moment ago, and Mr. Markey, my Democratic 
colleague, have introduced that would increase fuel efficiency 
requirements for cars and trucks to 33 miles a gallon by 2015.
  Mr. Speaker, that goal can be achieved now with existing 
technologies, without any technological breakthrough. I feel almost 
embarrassed at how modest that bill is, how lacking in ambition that 
bill is. But even that the leadership of this House has not been 
willing to bring to the floor for debate and for a vote.
  But, Mr. Speaker, in our hearing on hydrogen technology, in our 
hearing in the Science Committee on the H-Prize legislation, one of the 
witnesses said that we could achieve cars and trucks that average 100 
miles a gallon in the relatively near future if we really put our minds 
to it.
  Why on Earth are we not doing that? Why on Earth are we not acting 
with the urgency that our energy needs require?
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the President's budget this year did 
increase funding for research into sustainable energy sources. Mr. 
Speaker, I regret that the President's budget found much of that 
additional funding from cuts to energy efficiency efforts. We need to 
proceed on several fronts at one time. We need to proceed without bias, 
without preconception.
  A hydrogen economy or hydrogen fuel cells may not be the winning 
technology. As several of the speakers have said already, there are 
huge obstacles to overcome. Yes, hydrogen is abundant, but not as 
hydrogen. We need to find hydrogen sources, and the present source of 
hydrogen is by stripping it out of other fuels. Yes, when hydrogen is 
combined with oxygen to produce energy, that is a clean technology, but 
stripping hydrogen from fuels now is not clean. It is a very dirty 
technology, and the usual source of fuels from which it is stripped are 
fossil fuels, not sustainable, renewable energy sources.
  Mr. Speaker, hydrogen technology, to have a hydrogen fuel cell car in 
every driveway, would make useless the infrastructure we now have, the 
pipelines, the tanks, the pumps, to transport, to distribute a fuel 
that is liquid on the planet Earth, which hydrogen is not.
  So let's proceed. Let's proceed to develop, to provide an incentive 
to the private sector to develop the kinds of technologies we are going 
to need if hydrogen fuel cells are ever to be a practical source of 
energy for us.
  But let us proceed on several fronts. I hope this Congress will be 
back soon. I will vote for this bill today, but I hope that Congress 
will be back soon to consider other prizes for energy, other 
alternative energy sources, other prizes for energy conservation, and 
that this Congress gives the urgent attention to energy independence, 
to sustainable energy sources that we desperately need, that the middle 
class families now paying $3 a gallon desperately need.
  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to 
the distinguished gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Dent), who is a 
cochair of the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus.
  Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Inglis for his leadership on this 
very important issue.
  Mr. Speaker, American economic success has been built on innovation 
and competition. By competing against one another to build a better 
mousetrap, so to speak, American entrepreneurs have developed many 
products, from early incandescent lights to the Model T automobile to 
sophisticated computer hardware and software products of today, that 
have certainly made our lives better and our quality of life better.
  Today in an era of increasing fuel costs the drive to produce energy 
economically can be advanced through this same kind of innovation and 
competition. Fossil fuel technology was the impetus for 20th century 
industrial development, but today hydrogen holds out promise for being 
the driver of the economy of the future.
  Of course, hydrogen is a fuel that can be produced domestically, thus 
limiting our dependence on foreign petroleum products. I mean, that is 
why I rise today in strong support of H.R. 5143, the H-Prize Act of 
2006.
  As a founding member of the bipartisan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus, 
along with Mr. Inglis and Mr. Wynn and Mr. Larson, I certainly applaud 
Congressman Inglis' leadership on this issue.
  I also wanted to point out, too, that in my district, headquartered, 
is the largest producer of hydrogen in the world, Air Products and 
Chemicals. They have told me on many occasions that they produce about 
1.7 billion cubic feet of hydrogen per day, and they are producing that 
for refineries, for the U.S. Government, the electronics industries and 
other process industries.
  But the bottom line is, they said that that 1.7 billion cubic feet is 
enough to power seven million cars, hydrogen cars on the roads. That is 
a lot of hydrogen, and we can do more.
  The H-Prize Act, the H-Prize Act rewards those innovators and 
creative thinkers who develop innovative hydrogen technologies. It 
establishes four $1 million prizes, awarded every other year, to the 
best advances in hydrogen production, storage, distribution, and 
utilization. It authorizes an additional $1 million to that person or 
group that develops superior hydrogen-powered vehicles or other 
hydrogen-based products. It establishes a minimum lump sum of a $10 
million prize award for the best transformational changes in 
technologies for the production and distribution of hydrogen.
  Now, as I speak these words today some scientist or engineer is out 
there thinking of new ways to employ hydrogen technology to better 
address our needs. It is my hope that these prizes will serve as an 
incentive to those bright people as they push forward and develop these 
products and thereby help relieve us from our dependence on foreign 
energy.
  Mr. Speaker, that is why I support this bill.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, we have no more speakers, and I reserve 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to my 
colleague from South Carolina (Mr. Barrett), whose district has one of 
the keys to this hydrogen future, Savannah River National Lab.
  Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 
yielding me time.
  Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of H.R. 5143, the H-Prize Act of 
2006, and I want to thank the gentleman from South Carolina and my 
colleague for being such a strong proponent of hydrogen research in 
this ongoing energy debate.
  Representative Inglis is one of the leaders on this and I know 
personally I always turn to him when I need some help and advice. He is 
a cofounder of the House Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus, a caucus 
dedicated to moving the country away from its dependence on foreign 
oil, and toward a hydrogen economy.
  The need to reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy is 
evident, Mr. Speaker. Our supply simply does not meet our ever growing 
demand, and we are paying the price at the gas pump every day in this 
country.
  Further, our home State of South Carolina is poised to lead the 
Nation towards a hydrogen-based economy. The State's strong 
relationship with the automotive industry, Clemson's International 
Center for Automotive Research, ICAR, USC's expertise with hydrogen 
full cells, Aiken County's new hydrogen research laboratory, and the 
Savannah River site's future with hydrogen research are examples of 
what we are doing today for tomorrow.
  Promoting the hydrogen economy will provide the missing component to 
our country's energy portfolio, effectively making a strong movement 
toward energy independence.
  Public-private partnerships are a key component to accomplishing 
energy

[[Page 7678]]

independence. There is no doubt that the private sector is the engine 
of growth and breeds innovation and ingenuity.
  Mr. Speaker, I applaud Representative Inglis for understanding the 
role the Federal Government has and not to come up with the idea or the 
science, but rather to provide incentives and promote an atmosphere 
that encourages such research to take place.
  Mr. Speaker, I once again thank my good friend for introducing the H-
Prize Act of 2006 and urge my colleagues to vote in favor of energy 
independence by supporting H.R. 5143.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of the time.
  Mr. Speaker, again I would like to urge my colleagues to vote in 
favor of this bill.

                              {time}  1115

  Our Nation's future depends on finding a solution to our critical 
energy needs.
  America has always been at the forefront of technological 
breakthroughs. We have responded to great challenges, perhaps most 
famously John F. Kennedy's challenge to land a man on the Moon by the 
end of 1960s. And we have seen that prizes have a great effect to 
inspire technological advances. As Mr. Inglis stated earlier, he talked 
about Charles Lindbergh, a prize was offered and Charles Lindbergh made 
that first solo flight across the Atlantic.
  The X Prize was put out there and we had the team put together a 
private flight of a spaceship 100 kilometers above the Earth. 
Challenges and prizes help spark the imagination of scientists, 
engineers, and entrepreneurs who invest blood, sweat, tears and large 
sums of money to achieve a great goal. But perhaps the greatest role 
that the H-prize may serve is in spurring the imagination of our most 
valuable resource, our youth.
  Back in the 1970s there was great interest in solar power as an 
alternative energy source. This was largely brought in by the OPEC 
crisis of the early 1970s, the high oil prices, just as we see today. 
So there is a great demand. We need something different and solar 
energy was the big thing that we were looking at.
  In my 8th grade science fair project I examined solar energy. I was 
excited about the thought of moving beyond oil and moving to something 
that would make us more secure and something that would be clean. I 
read about it, and I moved forward; I did the science fair project.
  Now, my science fair project in my own career as an engineer did not 
ever find that solution to an alternative energy source. And 
unfortunately it seemed that we got into the 1980s and what happened? 
We lost that interest. Interest waned in finding alternative energy.
  We cannot afford to let that happen again. All the focus today on 
energy prices has probably helped to facilitate bringing this bill to 
the floor for consideration today. Unfortunately, we often only act 
during crises, which means we do not take the time to think big, to 
make big plans and to dream big. America has been built on big dreams 
and hard work. That is what has made America the greatest Nation on 
Earth. That is why we need to think big in changing the energy that we 
use today before it is too late, for our environment and for our 
security. The H-Prize will help in doing this.
  Perhaps there is a student out there today whose imagination will be 
sparked by the H-Prize and he or she may become an engineer and some 
day help develop the much-needed answers to today's energy problems. I 
hope that that opportunity is out there today and this H-Prize provides 
that inspiration to them.
  So I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this bill today, and 
perhaps one day we will look back on this day when the House passed the 
H-Prize, look at it as a catalyst that led to a better, cleaner and 
more secure America and world.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance 
of my time.
  Mr. Speaker, first I would like to thank Mr. Lipinski for his 
cooperative spirit and very helpful comments along the way. Mr. 
Lipinski is our chief cosponsor and someone who has improved the bill 
as it has worked its way through the process. Perhaps that is because 
of a pleasant personal relationship and also my respect for his 
expertise that made it easy for him to work with us, and I appreciate 
the work that he did to improve the bill.
  Along the way we did make improvements through the committee process, 
and I appreciate the cooperative way that Mr. Lipinski and others on 
the Democratic side of the aisle worked with us in the committee. The 
result is a better bill and I am very appreciative of that.
  Also, Mr. Speaker, I will introduce for the Record letters in support 
of the H-Prize from the National Hydrogen Association, the Hydrogen 
Advisory Council, the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, SAE International, Shell 
Hydrogen, BMW, General Motors, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., 
Enertech Capital, Ion America, Tiax LLC, Protium Energy Technologies, 
and professors from USC Davis and Purdue.
  Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the great work of our 
folks on the committee, particularly David Goldston was extremely 
helpful in making all this happen. He works closely with Chairman 
Boehlert. I also want to thank Mr. Gordon and, again, Mr. Lipinski and 
other members of our staff that made it possible for us to get this 
quickly to the House floor.
  Let me close with this: We have an opportunity to solve America's 
challenge in energy. It is a Republican problem. It is a Democratic 
problem. It is an American problem. The good news is, it can have an 
American solution.
  This is an opportunity for a triple play. If we do this right, we can 
improve our national security by ending our dependence on foreign oil. 
We will still use foreign oil; of course, we will use oil for a long 
time, but we can move away from the dependent state that we are in now, 
dependent on places that are very unstable. So it is an opportunity to 
improve our national security.
  It is also, secondly, an opportunity to create jobs and economic 
development, because if we can reinvent the car, imagine the jobs we 
can create.
  And then, third, for the third part of the triple play is an 
opportunity to clean the air. Because whether it is an internal 
combustion engine, the way that BMW intends to do it, or a fuel cell, 
the way that General Motors intends to do it, the only emission out of 
the back of the car is water. We want to incentivize those 
breakthroughs.
  There are some technological hurdles ahead, but with an H-Prize, with 
the incentive from the Federal Government and the support of the 
Federal Government saying we are going to do this, we are going to get 
there, I believe that we will summon the creativity of inventors and 
investors out there in America and around the world to try to win this 
prize, and in the process, America will win with a triple play.
  Mr. Speaker, the letters I referred to previously are as follows:

                                    Hydrogen Advisory Council,

                                                      May 8, 2006.
     Representative Bob Inglis,
     Cannon HOB,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Inglis: On behalf of the Hydrogen Advisory 
     Council, I want to congratulate you on the movement of H.R. 
     5143, the H-Prize Act of 2006, through the House Science 
     Committee. We look forward to working with your office in the 
     near future to move this crucial legislation to the 
     President's desk.
       As you know, the U.S. spent almost $250 billion on oil in 
     2005 and 25 percent of America's trade deficit currently 
     comes from importing oil. These staggering numbers combined 
     with growing instability in the world's oil producing regions 
     is very concerning, and the need for a domestic solution to 
     the nation's future energy needs has never been more 
     apparent.
       We believe that the solution is hydrogen. Not only does 
     hydrogen provide a clean and renewable source of energy for 
     the U.S., it will help create thousands of new jobs and 
     enhance our national security.
       The H-Prize will help move the nation towards this goal. By 
     incentivizing key breakthroughs in hydrogen technology, 
     storage,

[[Page 7679]]

     production, and distribution, the H-Prize Act of 2006 will 
     help speed the hydrogen economy to fruition. Furthermore, the 
     H-Prize will do this in a fiscally responsible way by only 
     awarding prize monies to technologies that reach set 
     performance metrics and by leveraging a combination of 
     federal dollars and private-sector investment without 
     impeding natural market forces.
       The Hydrogen Advisory Council fully supports the H-Prize 
     Act of 2006 and will do all it can to assure its future 
     passage and utilization. Thank you again for your continued 
     leadership on hydrogen policy.
           Cordially,
                                                 Robert S. Walker,
     Chairman, Hydrogen Advisory Council.
                                  ____



                            The National Hydrogen Association,

                                                      May 9, 2006.
     Hon. Bob Inglis,
     House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Inglis: On behalf of the 102 members of 
     the National Hydrogen Association (NHA), I would like to 
     extend our hearty support for your H-Prize legislation, H.R. 
     5143. For over 17 years, we have been an association 
     dedicated to pursuing the research, development and 
     demonstration of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, leading 
     to a firm basis for establishing and growing a commercial 
     Hydrogen Economy. We believe that this latest version of the 
     bill will have an important affect upon how needed technical 
     breakthroughs occur.
       Your bill promises to generate the drama and excitement of 
     genuine technological feats that might otherwise appear 
     obscure. Above and beyond the steady, devoted work of those 
     many scientists and engineers in our strong RD&D programs, we 
     need to build a sense of excitement, of the high value of 
     pursuing difficult tasks--something to dramatize our nation's 
     willingness to invest in this future. Prizes motivate and 
     inspire--if carefully focused, they can truly move technology 
     ahead.
       This is something powerful that the federal government can 
     do together with industry, by rewarding imagination and 
     creating the climate for the success of innovation. Whole new 
     industries can be built around these ideas, and we can 
     accelerate the pace of achieving them. Celebrate and 
     accelerate--let's put the hydrogen economy on a faster track.
           Sincerely,
                                               Jeffrey A. Serfass,
     President.
                                  ____



                                       U.S. Fuel Cell Council,

                                      Washington, DC, May 8, 2006.
     Hon. Robert Inglis,
     Cannon HOB,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Inglis: On behalf of the U.S. Fuel Cell 
     Council, I am writing in support of the ``H-Prize'' Act of 
     2006 (H.R. 5143). The program proposed under this act 
     represents a creative mechanism to encourage high-risk 
     research and development that will help us commercialize fuel 
     cell and hydrogen technologies. Additionally, the H-Prize 
     will help increase public awareness--a necessary component to 
     improve general education and outreach.
       In 2003, President Bush and Congress challenged American 
     industry, academia and other institutions to find new ways to 
     reduce our dependence on foreign sources of energy based on 
     hydrogen fuel cell technology.
       Congress recognized the need to bolster federal involvement 
     in developing these technologies last year when it passed the 
     Energy Policy Act of 2005. It is our hope that Congress 
     complements this achievement, passes the H-Prize, and funds 
     both programs accordingly.
       The U.S. Fuel Cell Council has long held that the 
     development of fuel cell and hydrogen technologies need not 
     be entirely supported by federal investments. That said, 
     establishing an H-Prize can help leverage federal funding in 
     a way that rewards results and compliments DoE objectives.
       America is leading the drive to develop fuel cell and 
     hydrogen technology; however, other countries are pursuing 
     very aggressive programs that may soon rival our own. To that 
     aim, we feel that the H-Prize can help America keep its 
     competitive edge as we work to create a cleaner, more 
     efficient and secure supply of energy.
       Thank you for your leadership and consideration.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Robert Rose,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____



                                            SAE International,

                                      Warrendale, PA, May 9, 2006.
     Representative Bob Inglis,
     Fourth District,
     South Carolina.
       Dear Representative Inglis: I am writing to strongly 
     support the creation and implementation of the ``H-Prize'' 
     Act of 2006, HR 5143. This Act, creating national prizes for 
     breakthroughs in hydrogen production, distribution, storage 
     and utilization, will greatly enhance the existing work being 
     done in advanced automotive technology research and 
     development and its supporting industries. Being that there 
     is no clear industry consensus on automotive propulsion 
     systems or their fuels for the future, it is clear that a 
     need exists for longer term solutions that will provide 
     energy independence for America, and hydrogen clearly can 
     lead us toward that goal.
       It is critically important that research and development 
     activities increase so challenging issues can be resolved 
     sooner than current progress permits, awareness to industry 
     and the public is raised to a much higher level and that 
     preparation for consumer acceptance is advanced beginning in 
     the early phases of hydrogen technology development.
       The ``H-Prize'' will support an important initiative toward 
     our longer term goals by providing near term impetus to 
     encourage innovations and solutions to the challenges posed, 
     I urge you to support this important bill.
           Sincerely,

                                        David L. Amati, Ph.D.,

                                 Director, Automotive Business and
     Automotive Headquarters.
                                  ____



                                               Shell Hydrogen,

                                         Houston, TX, May 9, 2006.
     Hon. Bob Inglis,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Inglis: I write to you today in support of 
     H.R. 5143, the H-Prize Act of 2006. I would like to commend 
     you for your leadership in introducing this legislation and 
     recognize the members of the Science Committee for endorsing 
     it as well. The creation of an H-Prize will further raise the 
     profile of hydrogen on the national stage and demonstrate 
     more direct and visible leadership from Congress on an 
     important issue for the economy, the environment and from a 
     national security perspective.
       The goal of providing hydrogen as a fuel on a significant 
     scale requires a coordinated undertaking within all levels of 
     government, the automotive industry, and energy companies. 
     The federal government has an important role in fostering 
     technological innovation that has societal benefits--the 
     creation of the Hydrogen Prize is an important step because a 
     hydrogen economy will not emerge by virtue of technology 
     alone. Any further developments will be a combination of 
     technology, economics and policy decisions.
       One of the strongest points in support of an H-Prize is the 
     ability to stimulate involvement and innovation across a much 
     broader community than is possible with DOE funding alone. 
     For example, student competitions, universities, small labs, 
     start-up companies, even folks in their garages can 
     participate--which has been a hallmark of American ingenuity 
     and competitiveness in so many other pioneering areas. An H-
     Prize can only accelerate commercialization and increase 
     public awareness in support of the growing global market.
       In closing, I would again like to voice my support of this 
     legislation. It is imperative that we find innovative ways to 
     realize the benefits of hydrogen as a clean, competitive and 
     sustainable energy solution.
           Sincerely,
                                                Phillip T. Baxley,
     President.
                                  ____



                                         BMW of North America,

                                  Woodcliff Lake, NJ, May 9, 2006.
     Hon. Bob Inglis,
     House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Inglis: The BMW Group enthusiastically 
     supports the H-Prize Act of 2006 (H.R. 5143).
       The BMW Group strongly believes that liquid hydrogen fueled 
     internal combustion engines are a viable clean energy 
     solution. They will also provide the level of driving 
     dynamics that our customers expect. BMW continues to invest 
     in hydrogen technology and to work with other companies and 
     industries on the infrastructure issues that need to be 
     solved in order to make the use of hydrogen a reality in the 
     United States.
       While BMW will compete aggressively to win the H-Prize, the 
     award is more important than an individual corporate victory. 
     It is time for everyone in the country--consumers, government 
     leaders, and industry--to expand their horizons to find new 
     and innovative ways to address energy and clean air issues. 
     The answer will not come from one technology or one piece of 
     legislation or regulation, but from providing incentives to 
     let people explore a range of options to achieve the common 
     objective. The H-Prize initiative supports the ``can do'' 
     attitude that is such an important part of the American 
     landscape.
       Copies of this letter will be sent to the leadership of the 
     House and the Science Committee urging them to support your 
     effort.
           Yours sincerely,
                                                       Tom Purves,
     President.
                                  ____



                                   General Motors Corporation,

                                      Washington, DC, May 9, 2006.
     Hon. Bob Inglis,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Inglis: General Motors is working aggressively to 
     improve the efficiency of our vehicles through the 
     application of new

[[Page 7680]]

     technologies like flex fuel vehicles and hybrid-electric 
     drives. However, we believe that hydrogen fuel cells offer 
     the opportunity to take a quantum leap in reducing our 
     dependence on foreign oil, and the overall environmental 
     impacts of vehicles. GM's goal is to design and validate a 
     fuel-cell propulsion system for passenger vehicles by 2010 
     which is competitive with current internal combustion systems 
     on durability and performance, and that ultimately can be 
     built at scale affordably.
       We believe that H.R. 5143, the H-Prize Act of 2006, could 
     help us reach that goal, and help to hasten the 
     transformation to a hydrogen economy. The bill would 
     establish a series of prestigious, national prizes to attract 
     the brightest entrepreneurs, scientists, and engineers to 
     hydrogen research. Of particular importance, the bill would 
     provide for up to four $1 million prizes biennially for the 
     most significant breakthroughs in hydrogen storage, 
     production, utilization, and distribution; and a biennial $4 
     million prize for the most successful prototype use of 
     hydrogen.
       Taken together, these prizes can help to attract the 
     interest of new companies and researchers to fields relevant 
     to the hydrogen economy. To ensure that this legislation does 
     not have the unintended consequence of reducing the funding 
     available to the Department of Energy's hydrogen and fuel 
     cell programs, we urge you to consider designating the 
     Department of Commerce, for example, to act as the 
     administrating agency--in consultation with the DOE. However, 
     this concern should not delay the House from moving quickly 
     to pass the bill.
       We urge the House to pass the H-Prize Act of 2006.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Ken W. Cole,
     Vice President, Government Relations.
                                  ____



                             Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.,

                                       Allentown, PA, May 8, 2006.
     Hon. Robert D. Inglis,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Inglis: On behalf of Air Products and 
     Chemicals, Inc., I would like to express our support for the 
     ``H-Prize'' Act of 2006 (H.R. 5143). The program proposed 
     under this act will be instrumental to encourage developments 
     that could lead the United States from our financially 
     draining dependence on foreign oil. Additionally, the 
     projects will be crucial to build public awareness and 
     acceptance of a hydrogen-based fuel economy within the United 
     States.
       As the world's leading producer of third-party hydrogen, we 
     at Air Products live the reality of commercial hydrogen 
     production, storage, and distribution--a world largely 
     unnoticed by the general public. Air Products has been 
     providing hydrogen to the U.S. Government, oil refiners, the 
     electronics industry, and other process industries for 
     decades; we currently produce and deliver over 1.7 billion 
     cubic feet of hydrogen per day. This is enough hydrogen to 
     keep 7 million cars on the road, today. We will bring on-
     stream an additional 240 million cubic feet per day of 
     production in just the next several months, and more capacity 
     will follow.
       From our position in today's hydrogen economy, and as a 
     U.S. company, Air Products sees a visible commitment from our 
     federal government as an essential ingredient to accelerate 
     the U.S. toward a more secure future. Our country has 
     established itself as a leader in the hydrogen economy, a 
     justifiable source of national pride that is greatly 
     underappreciated. A critical element in keeping this lead is 
     visible support from the federal government. Moreover, while 
     hydrogen initiatives are advancing, the pace of development 
     could be increased. The fiscally responsible nature of the 
     ``H-Prize'' program will publicize the realities of hydrogen 
     accomplishments, and encourage additional developments. 
     Americans love a good competition.
       We support and encourage the efforts of the federal 
     government to work with industry and academia to drive the 
     U.S. toward a larger-scale hydrogen economy. The ``H-Prize'' 
     program could contribute greatly to recognize accomplishments 
     that will improve our environment, enhance energy efficiency, 
     and secure future energy supply needs. We look forward to 
     helping to meet the growing clean energy needs of all 
     Americans. Thank you for your consideration, and we trust 
     that your colleagues will support the ``H-Prize'' initiative.
           Sincerely,
                                               Thomas E. Mutchler,
     General Manager--Integrated Businesses.
                                  ____



                                                     Enertech,

                                           Wayne, PA, May 9, 2006.
     Representative Bob Inglis,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Inglis: I am writing in support of 
     creation of the ``H-Prize'' act of 2006, H.R. 5143. This act, 
     when implemented, will create a series of national prizes for 
     the most significant breakthroughs in hydrogen production, 
     distribution, storage, and utilization. I am particularly 
     interested in the grand prize that enables a match of any 
     venture capital raised by the grand prize winner. This may 
     aid in the capitalization and commercialization of important 
     new technologies, and lay the foundation for creation of new 
     jobs and potentially enhance national security.
       As a managing partner in one of the most established 
     venture capital funds that has targeted energy and clean 
     technologies, I have a strong interest in encouraging our 
     emerging scientists and engineers to develop breakthrough 
     technologies and solutions which may yield some of the most 
     important venture capital investments ever made in this 
     country.
       There are numerous challenges that exist in the development 
     of a viable hydrogen economy. They include: (1) the 
     development of safe, light-weight, low-cost hydrogen storage 
     for onboard vehicles and at refueling stations; (2) the 
     development of inexpensive, durable, and efficient fuel cell 
     systems for vehicle propulsion; and (3) the integration of 
     this technology into the infrastructure and respective supply 
     chains. All of these activities could benefit from a well-
     designed nationally sponsored competition.
       I believe that a competition, as envisioned by the act, 
     will have benefit for individual contributors, venture 
     capitalists interested in the emerging energy technology 
     space, and for the country at large. There is a wide gulf 
     today in the beliefs about the timelines for the 
     implementation of important technologies in the hydrogen 
     arena. This competition may raise the interest, and attention 
     of our scientific community, and enable the continued 
     development of technologies that encounter the gulf between 
     scientific advancement and the first steps towards 
     commercialization.
       The announcement of these awards should generate 
     significant press and media interest, and will further raise 
     the awareness among the nation's brightest students, 
     scientists and engineers to this critically important area. 
     We have a tremendous opportunity in this country to turn our 
     attention to a critically important and fundamental need. 
     This H-prize can help direct our best minds towards solving 
     some of the most important energy challenges of our time. I 
     encourage you and your colleagues to support this important 
     bill. Thank you.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Bill Kingsley,
     Managing Partner.
                                  ____



                                                  Ion America,

                                       Sunnyvale, CA, May 9, 2006.
     Hon. Bob Inglis,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Congressman Inglis: I am writing in support of HR 
     5143. As the CEO of a leading fuel cell company dedicated to 
     utilizing technology to address our Nation's energy problems. 
     I applaud and support your efforts to create incentives for 
     the private sector to achieve solutions that will help our 
     country succeed in the 21st century.
       As you know, 25 percent of America's trade deficit comes 
     from importing oil and the U.S. spent around $250 billion on 
     oil in 2005 alone. It's time to end our oil addiction and one 
     way to achieve that goal is to begin to transition to a 
     sustainable hydrogen economy. By transitioning to hydrogen, 
     we can leapfrog debates on environment and climate change, 
     create thousands of new high value jobs, and enhance national 
     security. The ``H-Prize'' will help move the Nation towards 
     this transition.
       By providing for up to four $1 million prizes biennially 
     for the most significant breakthroughs in hydrogen storage, 
     production, utilization, and distribution; and a biennial $4 
     million prize for the most successful prototype use of 
     hydrogen, this Act will truly make a difference.
       The H-Prize will provide necessary federal leadership to 
     incentivize private dollars without impeding market forces. 
     As with many prizes in the past, the private-sector 
     investment towards winning the prize is often many times the 
     amount of the prize itself.
       The H-Prize signals to those of us who are working in clean 
     energy technology that the Federal government is a committed 
     partner in our quest for energy security and a cleaner 
     environment.
           Best regards,
                                                     K.R. Sridhar,
     CEO.
                                  ____



                                                         TIAX,

                                       Cambridge, MA, May 9, 2006.
     Representative Bob Inglis,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Representative Inglis: TIAX LLC is pleased to offer 
     our support of the ``H-Prize'' Act of 2006 (HR 5143) to 
     establish a series of prestigious, national prizes that would 
     attract leading entrepreneurs, scientists, and engineers into 
     hydrogen research. We believe that the establishment of this 
     prize would accelerate the development of the technologies 
     required for the commercialization of hydrogen fueled 
     vehicles.
       The Act would provide up to four $1 million prizes 
     biennially for the most significant breakthroughs in hydrogen 
     storage, production, utilization, and distribution: and a 
     biennial $4 million prize for the most successful prototype 
     use of hydrogen.
       TIAX is a leading technology development firm in Cambridge, 
     Mass., with a history of

[[Page 7681]]

     supporting the efforts of DOE and industry in assessing the 
     technologies needed to implement highly efficient hydrogen 
     fuel cell vehicles, as well as other options for improving 
     the fuel efficiency of our transportation system. Our 
     experience in this field suggests that the H-Prize Act of 
     2006, while certainly not being a substitute for the DOE's 
     current hydrogen program, would greatly help stimulate the 
     creative thinking needed to address the multiple challenges 
     associated with the use of hydrogen.
       We believe that the H-Prize would generate significant 
     interest among a wide range of academic institutions and 
     small businesses to accelerate R&D in this complex field. Its 
     existence would likewise emphasize the importance that 
     Congress is placing on addressing our reliance on imported 
     oil with its increasingly negative economic and national 
     security implications.
       Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any further 
     assistance.
           Best regards,
                                                  John M. Collins,
     President.
                                  ____



                                  Protium Energy Technologies,

                                          Emmaus, PA, May 9, 2006.
     Hon. Bob Inglis,
     House of Representatives,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Inglis: I applaud you for introducing, and 
     the House Science Committee for moving the H-Prize bill (H.R. 
     5143) forward for consideration by the full House. Thank you 
     for your vision and leadership in trying to establish a prize 
     program to encourage breakthrough developments in hydrogen 
     technology.
       As a hydrogen energy consultancy business owner, and as an 
     individual who has focused his energies over the last 14 
     years on the development and advancement of hydrogen as an 
     energy option, I can tell you that this legislation will play 
     an extremely important role in accelerating the creation of 
     new energy options for our Nation. That H-Prize Act by 
     establishing a series of prestigious, national prizes will 
     attract the brightest entrepreneurs, scientists, and 
     engineers to hydrogen research. I also believe that the 
     creation of these prizes will serve to invigorate interest on 
     the part of our younger generation, in science and math 
     education, and prepare them to tackle our critical energy 
     supply issues.
       The hydrogen economy is not as far away as many think. With 
     key developments in hydrogen technology, we can make our 
     country less dependent on oil and thus more secure; generate 
     jobs and new industry by reinventing the way we power our 
     economy while cleaning up the environment. The $11 million in 
     annual appropriations authorized by this legislation is but a 
     small investment in helping solve one of the major problems 
     faced by society in the 21st century.
       In addition to my private business endeavors, I have served 
     voluntarily on numerous public initiatives to promote 
     hydrogen as an energy carrier including serving as a trustee 
     of the National Hydrogen Association (NHA) based in 
     Washington, D.C. and have had the privilege of serving on the 
     Board of Directors for over 10 years including as Chairman 
     during 1997-1999. I respectfully refer you to my web site for 
     more background, www.protiumenergy.com.
       In closing I once again want to thank you for your 
     consideration efforts in moving this idea forward and would 
     wholeheartedly urge the House to pass this important 
     supplement to the ongoing Department of Energy Hydrogen R&D 
     program which must continue. My thanks to you and your 
     colleagues for considering this request.
           Sincerely,
                                               Venki Raman, Ph.D.,
                           President, Protium Energy Technologies.

  Mr. SOUDER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5143, the H-
Prize Act of 2006, a bill that represents a significant step towards 
our Country's energy independence.
  The recent rise in gas prices has only magnified the United States' 
overwhelming reliance on oil. We cannot allow our economy to be held 
captive by nations such as Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, whose 
manipulation of the world oil market can cause massive price 
disruptions at home. Obviously, we need another way.
  The forecasts of future high oil prices make possible other options, 
and to further transition our economy away from its dependence on 
foreign oil we must pursue all of them--nuclear, renewables such as 
ethanol and biodiesel, wind, solar--and expand our domestic oil 
supplies by drilling in ANWR and offshore. One of the most promising of 
these alternatives is hydrogen power. Hydrogen's huge advantage is that 
it can be created from virtually any energy source, both conventional 
or unconventional. Indeed, in my district a company is planning to 
build a ``green hydrogen'' plant that will use waste materials that 
often end up in landfills. Broadening the materials that can be used as 
primary energy sources increases our chances at reducing our energy 
imports from overseas. And furthermore, by lowering emissions of 
pollutants and greenhouse gases, hydrogen power is good for the 
environment, too.
  By establishing a national prize competition for innovations in 
hydrogen power, the H-Prize Act will summon our Nation's best and 
brightest to the challenge of overcoming the technical hurdles that 
stand in the way of the hydrogen economy. Government initiatives are no 
match for the entrepreneurial power of the private sector to discover a 
way to make hydrogen a viable alternative to oil.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend Messrs. Inglis, Lipinski, and Boehlert for 
their hard work on this bill, and urge my colleagues to support it.
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, the need for hydrogen energy 
is vital in a time when our dependence on foreign oil is placing a 
heavy burden on our economy. H.R. 5143, the H-Prize Act of 2006 will 
establish a prize competition to encourage the development of 
breakthrough technologies that would make hydrogen a practical 
alternative to foreign oil in our transportation sector. Hydrogen holds 
out the promise of being a non-polluting fuel since water vapor is the 
only byproduct of consuming it.
  Currently, much research is needed in order for hydrogen to be 
stored, economically distributed, and used efficiently in cars. In 
order to facilitate this research, prize programs such as this one 
encourage more work to be done on the matter without putting much money 
up front. Thus, monetary awards offered for hydrogen production, 
storage distribution and utilization creation of a working hydrogen 
vehicle prototype research are essential to promote research in these 
areas.
  Private entities invest far more in research to win a prize than the 
government pays out in the prize reward. However, making this contest 
open to all people, especially minorities, women and disadvantaged 
enterprises, can help contribute significantly to these efforts.
  Hydrogen technology seems ideal for a prize contest as long as it is 
advertised to a diverse segment of the population which includes 
minorities, women, small and disadvantaged businesses. Since, hydrogen 
technologies hold the promise of enormous reward, it is wise to 
encourage all to compete and provide them tools that assist in this 
area. At the end of the day, the Hydrogen Prize Act will help promote 
innovative results from a diverse community that will reduce technical 
and others barriers to the advancement of hydrogen technologies and the 
betterment of America.
  Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this 
bill. For several years now, I have been supporting hydrogen research 
efforts at Kennedy Space Center and at the Florida Institute of 
Technology. We are making progress, but still have a long way to go if 
we are to utilize hydrogen as a common source of energy.
  The H-Prize Act of 2006, which will advance the research, 
development, demonstration, and commercial application of hydrogen 
energy technologies, is a critical initiative in our national efforts 
to make hydrogen a viable energy alternative.
  Hydrogen is a very promising source of energy that is both renewable 
and environmentally friendly. Most importantly, it is also an energy 
source that can be generated domestically without relying on imported 
energy products from unstable regions of the world.
  I fully support the format for this initiative, which will award 
prizes based on the technologies developed. The prize format will save 
American taxpayers money as compared to the standard funding of 
research and development programs. Also, The cost to the American 
taxpayer from the H-Prize program is very minimal as compared to the 
returns that could be realized through a domestically renewable energy 
source.
  By delivering feasible technologies in the areas of hydrogen 
production, storage, distribution, and utilization, the H-Prize program 
will solve the most problematic issues in making hydrogen a workable 
solution. In addition, the H-Prize program will advance the crucial 
efforts to develop prototypes of hydrogen-powered vehicles and, 
eventually, production vehicles.
  Taken together, the technological advancements born out of the H-
Prize program will deliver transformational changes to our energy and 
transportation sectors. Creative initiatives like the H-Prize will help 
us move toward energy independence.
  Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance 
of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Conaway). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Inglis) that the 
House suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 5143, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds of

[[Page 7682]]

those present have voted in the affirmative.
  Mr. LIPINSKI. 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 and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this question will 
be postponed.

                          ____________________