Bart Gordon

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee

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

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I share my friend Dr. Broun's concerns about the deficit. That's the reason that I voted for a pay- as-you-go amendment, and we passed that here in this Congress. Dr. Broun wasn't here back in the early 1990s. To remind him, at that time, we had the world's largest deficit. In 1993, we passed a pay-as-you-go amendment, which helped turn that deficit into a surplus where we were actually paying down the deficit. So I hope when that pay-as-you-go bill comes back from the Senate that Dr. Broun will help us pass that. I will do something about our deficit. Let me address a couple of specific issues. Again, I share Dr. Broun's concerns about duplicate programs, and that's the reason, in this bill, we make sure that would not occur. Title I, section 101(e)--Coordination and Non-Duplication: ``In coordinating activities the Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that activities do not duplicate those of other programs within the Department or other relevant research agencies.'' This was further laid out on page 17 of the report language. So, duplication, you don't have to worry about it. This bill is an investment in our energy independence because another threat that this country faces is that of foreign energy cartels. Let me point out just a couple of things: for every 1 percent efficiency gain in the Nation's vehicle fleet, it translates into more than 2 billion gallons of fuel saved annually. For that reason, this bill is supported and scored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and by the National Association of Manufacturers. It is also supported by General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, the United Auto Workers, the Motor and Equipment Manufacturers Association, Daimler, Delphi, Caterpillar, the Engine Manufacturers Association, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and the Sierra Club because this is a good bill. Let me give you just one example of what we're trying to do here. There really isn't much research at all in heavy duty vehicles. This is an area in which we can make enormous savings. Again, one example: there are approximately 900 garbage trucks in the country, but their fuel consumption is equivalent to, roughly, 2.5 million passenger vehicles--90,000 garbage trucks to 2.5 million passenger vehicles. It's estimated that, if we can just put as little as 100 hybrid electric garbage trucks on the road, it will reduce diesel fuel consumption by 7.2 million gallons, which amounts to 1 billion barrels of oil. So this bill is a bill for investment and energy independence, which is a threat to this country, and we have made sure that there are no efforts to duplicate research any other way. With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back my time, and I suggest that we vote down this motion to recommit and stand with the Chamber of Commerce, with the National Association of Manufacturers and with so many other companies in this town.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I rise in opposition to the motion.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Maffei).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Well, I would say to Mr. Hall, certainly I think Mr. Broun is a constructive force, certainly in our committee as well as here. I think he has two amendments today. I would suggest this potentially to my friend; if whomever you have coming to speak, we could allow them to speak during another amendment if that would be consistent.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Well, we don't really need a UC. Mr. Hall and I know that we can trust each other, and so if he has someone that wants to speak later, we will certainly make that available at any time they come in on whatever amendment it might be. Mr. Chairman, I reserve my time.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Let me thank Mr. Massa for bringing this excellent amendment to our attention. It makes a good bill better. I support it. Let me conclude by saying that this bill moved relatively smoothly today. This is a very important bill, but it didn't happen by accident. I want to thank Mrs. Biggert and Mr. Hall for working with Mr. Peters in really a collegial way to bring this important bill before us. But as all Members of Congress know, if it wasn't for diligent, dedicated staff, we could not bring this type of important legislation before us. So I want to thank Chris King, who is the staff director for the Energy Subcommittee on the Science and Technology Committee, and for leading a good team of John Piazza, Hillary Cain, Elizabeth Chapel, and for working with Jonathan Smith from Mr. Peters' office. Without your work, we could not have brought this bill, and I thank you for it.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I thank Mr. Donnelly for yielding. In this bipartisan amendment, my colleagues seek to recognize the unique requirements of the types of vehicles commonly known as recreational vehicles. They highlight an important industry within the medium to heavy duty truck sector, and I would point out that these are heavy users of fuel. If we can make them more fuel efficient, we certainly are going to make our country less dependent on foreign oil. I think that this is an excellent use of these research dollars, and I support the amendment.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I thank Mr. Cohen for yielding. I also thank him for presenting this good amendment to us. It seeks to recognize the full range of energy storage devices that can be incorporated into vehicles, including beyond batteries. We have worked with Mr. Cohen in perfecting the language. It's a good amendment, and I urge adoption.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. More importantly, I want to thank you for this very excellent, constructive amendment. It seeks to recognize the unique challenges faced by rural communities as we move toward greater electrification of the transportation sector. I too share the concern for my constituents in Middleton, Tennessee. This is an excellent amendment, an improvement to a good bill, and I urge its adoption.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Kennedy's amendment seeks to recognize that the Nation's vehicle fleet encompasses more than just 4-wheel passenger cars and large commercial trucks and that the ultra- efficient 2-wheel and 3-wheel vehicles should also be considered eligible for Federal research activities. I support my colleague's amendment and urge its adoption. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I rise as the designee for Mr. Kennedy, and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I will yield to Mr. Kennedy.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Thank you, Ms. Kosmas. I appreciate your hard work on this amendment as well as Mr. Posey's. You've brought us an amendment that is consistent with the overall goals of the bill but which requires some fine-tuning as we move through the conference process. With that understanding, we would still like to work with the gentleman and gentlewoman on perfecting the language as we move forward, and I support the amendment and urge its adoption.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. First let me thank Mrs. Biggert for the work she has done in bringing this bill to us, as well as the work for those legitimate questions that I think need to be answered, and I think Mr. Kennedy did answer. I yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy).

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I want to thank Dr. Broun for bringing this constructive amendment to our attention. I think the additional transparency and accountability will make this good bill an even better bill, and for that reason I urge adoption of Dr. Broun's amendment. Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to my friend, the gentleman from Connecticut (Mr. Larson).

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

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the author of this excellent piece of legislation, Mr. Gary Peters from Michigan, and concur with Mr. Hall in saying that he did a terrific job in reaching out to all parties to make this a bipartisan bill that has great support both here in Congress, as well as throughout industry.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I yield such time as he may consume to the dean of the United States House of Representatives, and my mentor, the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Dingell). (Mr. DINGELL asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I rise as the designee for Mr. Holt, and I have an amendment at the desk.

Mr. GORDON of Tennessee. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time to close.

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