[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 11]
[House]
[Page 14809]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1030
                        RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

  (Mr. TONKO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TONKO. Madam Speaker, we make great strides towards solving our 
future energy needs by focusing on a process that has been virtually 
ignored for the past 8 years, research and development. Time and again, 
our economy has been pushed forward by a spirit of innovation. It has 
been pushed forward by a spirit that a century ago ignited an energy 
revolution started right in the heart of the 21st Congressional 
District with General Electric. Less than half a century ago, President 
Kennedy announced the space race in response to Sputnik. We now have 
that opportunity again. But when one considers the global context, it's 
easy to see that the United States is falling woefully behind.
  The House of Representatives is considering the American Clean Energy 
and Security Act, which would create millions of clean energy jobs, put 
America on the path to energy independence, and cut global warming 
pollution. China is investing $12.6 million every hour towards clean 
energy. With this kind of deficit, we stand to lose our place in the 
world as it relates to our energy security, and that is a finished 
product we simply cannot afford to import.

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