Bart Gordon

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I thank my friend from Nebraska for his courtesy to Mr. Oberstar. I would request of the Chairman, what time is left for each side?

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, as has been pointed out earlier, I'm not sure whether it's the godfather or the grandfather of the FIRE Grants program, Mr. Pascrell from New Jersey. He is here, and he is recognized for 3 minutes.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield the gentleman 1 additional minute.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. Markey).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Arizona (Mrs. Kirkpatrick).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Will the gentlewoman yield?

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I would like to thank the gentlewoman for her efforts with the SAFER program and her support for the bill. You raise a very good point that fire departments in many communities are struggling with shrinking budgets. Some of these struggling communities do have SAFER grants. I would be happy to work with you on this issue as we work to enact this legislation into law.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to a very active member of our committee, the gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Lujan).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. You are courteous to ask. I think we have marshaled it just right. We have 2 more minutes and one speaker.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Again, I thank you for the courtesy. I believe we are going to be able to do it, but thank you very much.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I would yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend from St. Louis, Missouri (Mr. Carnahan).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I will use the remainder of my time to close, so if the gentleman would like to close.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, in quick closing, I want to concur with Mr. Smith's remarks, thanking him for his cooperation. This has been a good subcommittee, committee process. It has been bipartisan. And because of that, we have a good bill.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I just want to thank the gentlelady for this amendment. I think it demonstrates why having greater consultation makes a better bill. You bring unique expertise. We've got a lot more water in Tennessee than you have in Nevada. So thank you for this good amendment.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I rise to claim time in opposition to the amendment, although I am not in opposition to the amendment.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I have no objections to this amendment. I want to point out that the underlying programs or competitive grant programs are peer reviewed by members of the fire service. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased that we're considering H.R. 3585, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act sponsored by Science and Technology Subcommittee Chair Gabrielle Giffords. This bipartisan bill has a number of cosponsors including myself, subcommittee Chair Brian Baird, and Dan Lipinski, as well as committee members Michael McCaul and Roscoe Bartlett. I assume solar power is not the first name that comes to your mind when you think of the State of Tennessee; but over the last few years we have really seen firsthand the major potential that solar energy has to create new jobs across the country and reduce our dependency on foreign oil in the process. Recently, two major producers of special materials used in solar panels have chosen Clarksville and Cleveland, Tennessee, as sites for their next large factories, each with over $1 billion investment creating hundreds of jobs, plus many more jobs in larger investment with the supply chain, as well as universities now setting up courses in management for the solar panel industries. And this is happening all across the State and communities all across our Nation. And that's why we need a national plan, and that's why we are discussing this important bill today. H.R. 3585 establishes a comprehensive road mapping process for solar technology research, development, and demonstration activities conducted by the Federal Government in partnership with industry. The Secretary of Energy is also directed to award grants to carry out these programs by merit-based review specifically to provide awards to industry-led consortia research, development, and demonstration in solar manufacturing. The road map provision in the bill is molded on the successful National Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, which has been instrumental in helping semiconductor technology advance rapidly over the past two decades. H.R. 3585 incorporates recommendations of the witnesses who appeared at the Science and Technology Committee, as well as input from a variety of academic, government, and industry experts. Science and Technology Committee staff closely consulted with the minority in the development of this bill. We accepted several minority amendments, and the vast majority of items in our manager's amendment in committee were also suggested or requested by the minority. The bill was voted out of committee on a bipartisan voice vote. H.R. 3585 has been officially endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, the Solar Energy Industries Association, British Petroleum, IBM, Intel, and National Semiconductor. I look forward to voting for several good amendments today and strongly urge my colleagues here to support a bill that will help our country take back the leadership position in this fast-growing industry and put our best minds to work to meet our future energy needs. Once again, I want to commend Ms. Giffords, Mr. McCaul on their leadership on this issue. I would also like to take a moment to recognize staff who worked on this bill: Adam Rosenberg, Wyatt King, and Elaine Ulrich on the majority side; and Elizabeth Chapel and Tara Rothschild on the minority side. Without the hard work of the staff on both sides of the aisle, producing good bills like this one would not be possible. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as she may consume to the passionate solar advocate and primary author of this bill, the gentlewoman from Arizona (Ms. Giffords).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, first, let me thank Mr. McCaul for his significant contribution to this and, more importantly, really, for the constructive role he has played on our committee. I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Langevin). (Mr. LANGEVIN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to my friend from New Jersey, Mr. Pascrell.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Hall, if the gentleman would yield, to answer your question, I have about six different speakers at about 2 minutes for most of them.