[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 24]
[House]
[Pages 32505-32506]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                             CLIMATE CHANGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Holt) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, for the past 20 years, my colleagues in the 
scientific community have been issuing warnings that the release of 
greenhouse gases is altering the Earth's climate in ways that are 
expensive and deadly. It is well established in the scientific 
community that the climate change of recent decades can be attributed 
to the way we produce and use energy. In fact, the greatest insult to 
our planet is the way we produce and use energy.
  As an energy scientist, I know how much can be done technically to 
reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and to slow the rate of global 
climate change. In fact, many countries around the world are taking 
those steps. Today, here in the House of Representatives, we have 
passed historic legislation which will finally take the long overdue 
first steps toward addressing global climate change and addressing our 
long-term energy needs. I am proud to have worked with my colleagues on 
this comprehensive bill which will move us toward reducing our 
dependence on fossil fuels and will spur the economic growth and will 
create new jobs and stave off further damage to our environment and our 
climate. This is one of the principle subjects that I have spoken about 
and worked on since I first ran for Congress, and it is one of the 
reasons, I believe, that my constituents sent me to Congress.
  There are some excellent provisions in this bill that will 
drastically reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. This includes 
increasing the average automobile fuel economy to 35 miles per gallon 
by 2020. It will require the nationwide implementation of renewable

[[Page 32506]]

portfolio standards requiring 15 percent of the Nation's energy in 
power generation to come from renewable sources. And these two 
provisions alone will save consumers as much as $40 billion in a dozen 
years and will decrease our annual greenhouse gas emissions by up to 
324 million tons.
  H.R. 6 will reverse many of the environmental detrimental policies 
that this administration and this country have implemented over the 
past 6 years. It will repeal the $23 billion in tax subsidies and 
royalty relief provisions for fabulously wealthy oil companies.
  It will use this money to invest in renewable energy research and 
extend existing tax credits for the production of renewable energy. My 
home State of New Jersey has led the way on these issues. New Jersey 
has already implemented a renewable portfolio standard that requires 20 
percent of the State's energy to come from renewable sources by 2020. 
New Jersey is the second leading State in solar energy production, with 
over 2,400 solar installations in place, and I am told it is the 
fastest growing market for solar energy in the United States.
  The legislation passed here today will require our appliances and 
buildings to be more energy efficient, it will provide job training to 
help workers become part of the green economy, it will require the 
United States to re-enter into the debate on global climate change, it 
will provide historic investment in renewable energy and biofuels 
research.
  Of course, this bill is not enough. If it becomes law, it will be a 
start, a very good start. Having passed this bill, we will be able to 
consider other alternative energy and climate change legislation, and I 
am confident that we will.

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