[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 340]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




        SOLAR TAX INCENTIVES: ``MUST PASS'' LEGISLATION IN 2008

  (Ms. GIFFORDS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, in the week before we adjourned for the 
holidays, Congress, in a bipartisan effort, passed, and the President 
signed, the Energy Independence and Security Act. This bill, which is 
now law, represents a major stride forward towards a clean energy 
future. I applaud my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for moving 
this historic and very important legislation.
  It was a good first step, but we are not there yet. The real meat of 
an effective energy package, which was not included in the legislation, 
must be the extension of critical tax incentives. These are essential 
for the solar industry to really take root and flourish. This is one of 
the reasons why I introduced H.R. 3807, the Renewable Energy Assistance 
Act, to improve and extend vital tax incentives for solar energy. These 
incentives will spur innovation, decrease our carbon emissions, and 
reduce our dependency on foreign energy.
  In this time of economic uncertainty, it is important that we provide 
this critical stimulus so that we can move forward on these renewable 
energy efforts. We have to act this year, before the end of 2008. Doing 
so will get America back on track and working toward a better and 
brighter future.

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