[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20]
[House]
[Pages 27850-27852]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   INDUSTRIAL ENERGY EFFICIENCY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 2007

  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the 
bill (H.R. 3775) to support research and development of new industrial 
processes and technologies that optimize energy efficiency and 
environmental performance, utilize diverse sources of energy, and 
increase economic competitiveness, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the bill.
  The text of the bill is as follows:

                               H.R. 3775

       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 ``Industrial Energy Efficiency 
     Research and Development Act of 2007''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) According to the Energy Information Administration's 
     2006 Annual Energy Review, the industrial sector in 2006 
     accounted for more energy use (32 percent) than the 
     residential (21 percent), commercial (18 percent), or 
     transportation sector (29 percent).
       (2) The primary energy intensive industries vital to 
     maintaining our country's infrastructure and economic and 
     national security include steel, chemicals, metal casting, 
     forest products, glass, aluminum, petroleum refining, and 
     mining, as well as other energy intensive manufacturers.
       (3) The Department of Energy has demonstrated the success 
     of public-private partnerships with these industries 
     resulting in research, development, and deployment of new 
     energy efficient technologies which reduce emissions and 
     improve manufacturing competitiveness.
       (4) Innovations in manufacturing processes within these 
     industries may be translated into efficiency improvements in 
     buildings, transportation, and other economic sectors that 
     depend upon these industries.
       (5) While past public-private partnerships have resulted in 
     significant energy efficiency improvements in manufacturing 
     processes, there is a need for new technologies to achieve 
     continual energy efficiency improvements.
       (6) Innovations made in the last few decades assisted the 
     United States in remaining competitive in the global market. 
     Continued innovation in the areas of energy efficiency and 
     feedstock diversification are necessary to enable the United 
     States to maintain a competitive edge.
       (7) The Department of Energy should continue collaborative 
     efforts with industry, particularly the manufacturing sector, 
     to broaden and accelerate the high-risk research and 
     development of new manufacturing processes that optimize 
     energy efficiency and utilize diverse sources of energy.
       (8) These partnerships support critical research and 
     development capabilities at universities and other research 
     institutions while training future generations of engineers 
     in critical areas of energy systems and efficient industrial 
     process technologies for our domestic industries.

     SEC. 3. INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM.

       (a) In General.--The Secretary of Energy (in this Act 
     referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall establish a program, 
     in cooperation with energy-intensive industries, trade and 
     industry research collaborations representing such 
     industries, and institutions of higher education--
       (1) to conduct energy research, development, demonstration, 
     and commercial application activities with respect to new 
     industrial and commercial processes, technologies, and 
     methods to--
       (A) achieve substantial improvements in energy efficiency; 
     and
       (B) enhance the economic competitiveness of the United 
     States industrial sector; and
       (2) to conduct environmental research and development with 
     respect to new industrial and commercial processes, 
     technologies, and methods to achieve environmental 
     performance improvements such as waste reduction, emissions 
     reductions, and more efficient water use.
       (b) Program Activities.--Research, development, 
     demonstration, and commercial application activities under 
     this section may include--
       (1) activities to support the development and use of 
     technologies and processes that improve the quality and 
     quantity of feedstocks recovered or recycled from process and 
     waste streams;
       (2) research to meet manufacturing feedstock requirements 
     with alternative resources;
       (3) research to develop and demonstrate technologies and 
     processes that utilize alternative energy sources to supply 
     heat, power, and new feedstocks for energy-intensive 
     industries;
       (4) research to achieve energy efficiency in steam, power, 
     control system, and process heat technologies, and in other 
     manufacturing processes; and
       (5) a program to fund research, development, and 
     demonstration relating to inventors' and small companies' 
     technology proposals, based on energy savings potential, 
     commercial viability, and technical merit.
       (c) Competitive Awards.--All awards under this section 
     shall be made on a competitive, merit-reviewed basis.
       (d) Coordination and Nonduplication.--The Secretary shall, 
     coordinate efforts under this section with other programs of 
     the Department and other Federal agencies, to avoid 
     duplication of effort.
       (e) Annual Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
     enactment of this Act, and once every 2 years thereafter, the 
     Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report on the 
     activities conducted pursuant to this Act, including--
       (1) a description of the activities used to facilitate 
     cooperation with energy-intensive industries, universities, 
     and other participants in the program; and
       (2) a description of ongoing projects and new projects 
     initiated, and the anticipated energy savings associated with 
     achievement of each project's goals.

     SEC. 4. UNIVERSITY-BASED INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND ASSESSMENT 
                   CENTERS.

       To strengthen the program under section 3, the Secretary 
     shall provide funding to university-based industrial research 
     and assessment centers, whose purpose shall be--
       (1) to identify opportunities for optimizing energy 
     efficiency and environmental performance;
       (2) to promote application of emerging concepts and 
     technologies in small and medium-sized manufacturers;
       (3) to promote the research and development for usage of 
     alternative energy sources to supply heat, power, and new 
     feedstocks for energy intensive industries;
       (4) to coordinate with appropriate State research offices, 
     and provide a clearinghouse for industrial process and energy 
     efficiency technical assistance resources; and
       (5) to coordinate with State-accredited technical training 
     centers and community colleges, while ensuring appropriate 
     services to all regions of the United States.

     SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to 
     carry out this Act $150,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 
     2009 through 2013.


[[Page 27851]]


  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Lampson) and the gentleman from Washington (Mr. Reichert) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Texas.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LAMPSON. 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. 3775, the bill now under 
consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Texas?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I'm pleased that the House will consider my bill today, H.R. 3775, 
the Industrial Energy Efficiency Research and Development Act. I first 
wish to thank my colleagues on the Science and Technology Committee for 
their support in crafting this legislation, especially Ranking Members 
Inglis and Hall, who worked with me on this bill which highlights the 
critical need for research into technologies that improve industrial 
energy efficiency.
  An expanding economy and growing population ensure that demand for 
energy will continue to grow, making energy conservation a key national 
goal. In the United States, industry is responsible for more than one-
third of all energy consumed. Heavy industries such as chemical, glass 
and metals production, mining, petroleum, refining, and forest and 
paper products all require very large amounts of energy, making them 
particularly susceptible to high energy prices. Therefore, these and 
other energy-intensive U.S. industries are ideal candidates on which to 
focus Federal research and development efforts and apply new 
technologies to increase efficiency, raise productivity, reduce wastes, 
trim costs, and ultimately make them more competitive in a global 
market.
  I'm very familiar with the difficulties these industries face. Texas 
has the highest percentage of large energy-intensive industries, 8 
percent of the U.S. total. Over half the energy used in Texas is 
consumed by the industrial sector. There is significant pressure to 
reduce the emissions and energy use associated with their processes, 
while keeping costs low enough to maintain the region's attractiveness 
to industry. That's a tall order when costs for natural gas, one of the 
primary industrial feedstocks, are among the highest in the country.
  The Industrial Technologies Program, ITP, at the Department of 
Energy, works to improve the energy intensity of U.S. industry through 
coordinated, cost-shared research and development. The ITP is 
considered one of the most effective Department of Energy programs, 
transferring over 170 technologies to the commercial market, improving 
an estimated 13,000 U.S. manufacturing plants, and saving nearly 5 
quadrillion Btus of energy, or approximately $23 billion in energy 
since its inception. That's significant.
  The ITP also sponsors university-based Industrial Assessment Centers, 
which utilize engineering faculty and students to provide no-cost 
energy assessments, mostly to small and medium-sized manufacturers. 
These centers serve as valuable preparation for the next generation of 
energy and industrial engineers, training almost 250 students per year.
  The Industrial Technologies Program has suffered dramatic budget cuts 
in recent years, dropping to just one-third of the funding levels of 
2001. And this reflects a dramatic and untimely shift in priorities 
away from industrial efficiency research and development.
  So H.R. 3775 authorizes and expands the Department of Energy's 
Industrial Technology Program through better coordination of 
interdepartmental research, enhancement of the industrial assessment 
centers program at universities, and support of more research and 
development of new innovations and technologies that improve the energy 
efficiency and environmental performance of most energy-intensive 
manufacturing processes.
  This legislation is needed to ensure continued gains in these areas 
through research and development that makes the U.S. industry more 
competitive and enhances the quality of life for American workers, 
their families and the communities that they serve.
  Again, I want to thank Mr. Inglis for working to make this a better 
bill. I encourage my colleagues to support H.R. 3775.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 3775, the 
Industrial Energy Efficiency Research and Development Act of 2007, and 
I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  The industrial sector of our economy is currently the largest user of 
energy. According to the Department of Energy's Energy Information 
Administration, the industrial sector consumed 32 percent of the 
Nation's energy in 2006. While the industrial sector has made 
impressive efficiency gains since 1980, more is needed and more can be 
done.
  The Department of Energy currently runs the Industrial Technology 
Programs, ITP, whose mission it is to improve the energy intensity of 
the United States industrial sector, whose industries include aluminum, 
chemicals, forest products, glass, metal casting, mining, petroleum 
refining and steel. The ITP program engages in partnerships with 
industry to conduct research and development into energy efficiency 
technologies, as well as demonstrating those technologies and 
transferring them to the marketplace. The program has been very 
successful in its efforts with over 140 projects reaching the 
commercial market.
  The ITP also conducts energy assessments, to help industrial 
manufacturers of all sizes, through both its Save Energy Now and 
university-based Industrial Assessment Centers, IACs. The Save Energy 
Now program completed 265 assessments that identified energy savings of 
more than $585 million per year.
  The IACs serve a dual role, aiding small and medium-sized business to 
reduce their energy costs and the training of university students who 
will take the efficiency knowledge they have learned and apply it in 
the workforce.
  The bill before us today will ensure that ITP's beneficial work will 
continue to help the industrial sector reduce its cost, which not only 
helps them remain globally competitive while allowing them to keep 
their operations in the United States of America. Further, the ITP aids 
our country's goal of reducing our dependence on foreign sources of 
energy by improving this critical sector's use of energy.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMPSON. Thank you for your words, Mr. Reichert. Certainly this 
is important. It's something that can make a significant difference to 
what we're doing for the world and for industry in the United States of 
America, to make sure that we are kept competitive.
  There's so many things, whether it is using waste to pelletize wood 
into new kinds of fuel, whether it is solar, water, any of the many 
things, wind, that we're doing and to encourage to make these things 
possible is something that is very important to me.
  Mr. Speaker, I will insert the following letters into the Record.

                                         House of Representatives,


                             Committee on Energy and Commerce,

                                 Washington, DC, October 22, 2007.
     Hon. Bart Gordon,
     Chairman, Committee on Science and Technology, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: I write with regard to H.R. 3775, the 
     Industrial Energy Efficiency Research and Development Act of 
     2007. I know it is your wish for the bill to be considered on 
     the House floor as soon as possible.
       Some of the provisions in the bill are of jurisdictional 
     interest to the Committee on Energy and Commerce. I am not, 
     however, raising the issue with the Speaker because it is my 
     understanding that you have agreed that the referral and 
     consideration of the bill do not in any way serve as a 
     jurisdictional precedent as to our two committees.
       I request that you send to me a letter confirming our 
     agreement and that our exchange of letters be included in 
     your Committee's report on the bill and inserted in the 
     Congressional Record as part of the consideration of the 
     bill.

[[Page 27852]]

       Please call me if you would like to discuss this matter 
     further.
           Sincerely,
                                                  John D. Dingell,
     Chairman.
                                  ____

         House of Representatives, Committee on Science and 
           Technology,
                                 Washington, DC, October 22, 2007.
     Hon. John D. Dingell,
     Chairman, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Chairman: Thank you for your letter regarding the 
     referral and consideration of H.R. 3775, the Industrial 
     Energy Efficiency Research and Development Act of 2007. I 
     appreciate your support of this important legislation.
       I recognize your Committee's jurisdictional interest in 
     this area, and I agree that the inaction of the Committee on 
     Energy and Commerce with respect to the bill does not in any 
     way serve as a jurisdictional precedent as to our two 
     committees. The exchange of letters between our two 
     committees will be placed in the Committee's report on H.R. 
     3775 and in the Congressional Record during consideration of 
     the bill.
       Thank you for your attention to this matter.
           Sincerely,
                                                      Bart Gordon,
                                                         Chairman.

  Mr. Speaker, I don't have further comments to be made, and so if the 
gentleman is prepared to yield back his time, then I am ready to do so 
as well.
  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LAMPSON. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Permutter). The question is on the 
motion offered by the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Lampson) that the House 
suspend the rules and pass the bill, H.R. 3775, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the bill, as amended, was passed.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________