Ben Luján

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H.R. 1622, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, as we look to see how we can truly work together in the Chamber, I think that the legislation before us, H.R. 1622, directly addresses some of our concerns when it comes to energy in our great Nation. H.R. 1622 is a bipartisan piece of legislation that looks to see how we can come together and work together to be able to alleviate our dependence on foreign oil. And, Mr. Speaker, I certainly agree with my colleague that we have to look to diversity when it comes to energy, that we have to be good stewards of the environment, and that's why I stood up proudly to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act. We talk about what we have to do to invest in our future, Mr. Speaker, and as we look out to future generations and how we as a Nation have to come together, how our leaders have to come together, how we have to work anywhere that we possibly can to be able to address these deep concerns, it's with honor that I come before you, Mr. Speaker, to be able to work on these issues as a new Member of Congress, as a Member of Congress that's ready to work, and as a Member of Congress that's ready to look at new ideas where we can come together. H.R. 1622 is the continuation of a good idea on how we can continue to eliminate our dependence on foreign oil. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. H.R. 1622 was introduced by Mr. Sullivan of Oklahoma and cosponsored by myself, my friends from Texas, Mr. Hall and Mr. Green, my colleague from Oklahoma (Mr. Boren) and a number of other Members that recognize the potential of natural gas as an alternative transportation fuel. This bill reauthorizes the Department of Energy's research, development and demonstration program in natural gas powered vehicles and related infrastructure. The vehicle fleet of the future will include a diverse range of fuels and vehicle technologies. Since it is both cleaner than petroleum and domestically available, natural gas will play an important role in a more sustainable transportation sector. Moreover, the estimated domestic reserves continue to grow, indicating that natural gas could play a long-term role in helping to alleviate our dependence on foreign oil. I support H.R. 1622 and urge its passage. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1622) to provide for a program of research, development, and demonstration on natural gas vehicles, as amended.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased that today the House will consider H.R. 2729, a bill that will formally authorize the National Environmental Research Parks at Department of Energy sites across the country, including one in my district at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Los Alamos National Laboratory includes a landscape of canyons, mesas and mountains, and the Rio Grande, providing a diverse range of ecosystems to explore. The Los Alamos Park conducts ongoing environmental studies on everything from containment transport to woodland productivity to long- term climate change effects on the land. These parks have been a critical resource to the national and the global environmental research community for decades, yet they have never had a clearly defined source of support in the department before. This bill finally addresses this issue and provides important guidance for research, development, education and outreach on the parks. H.R. 2729 was developed through a collaborative process that took into account comments and concerns from each of the DOE sites, as well as helpful input and amendments from both minority and majority Members. I'm happy to present a bill with bipartisan cosponsorship, and I look forward to working with our Senate colleagues to send this to the President's desk as soon as possible. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 2729, the bill now under consideration.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2729) to authorize the designation of National Environmental Research Parks by the Secretary of Energy, and for other purposes, as amended.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume. I rise in strong support of House Resolution 607 which was introduced by Ranking Member Hall, with Chairman Gordon, Chairwoman Giffords, and Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Ranking Member Olson as original cosponsors. I want to thank Mr. Hall and the others for their initiative in introducing this resolution. The Apollo 11 Moon landing was one of the most significant events of the 20th century. It is only fitting that we celebrate it today as we mark the 40th anniversary of that historic event. That successful landing was a culmination of 8 years of sustained hard work and dedication by countless engineers, scientists, technicians and others to meet the audacious challenge laid down by President John Kennedy in 1961 at a time when it looked as though the Soviet Union had an insurmountable lead in the space race. It took the efforts of many to make Apollo a success, and they all can take pride in what they accomplished. What had seemed only a lofty centuries-old goal of humanity a mere decade earlier became a wonderful reality when Mission Commander Neil Armstrong proudly announced on July 20, 1969, ``Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.'' Mr. Speaker, the inspiration and hard work that undergirded the successful Apollo 11 mission also laid the foundation for a host of technologies on which today's society depends. Apollo also stimulated as well as enthused generations of engineers and scientists who have contributed so much to our Nation's well-being in the ensuing decades. In short, the Apollo program continues to deliver benefits to our country even today. Yet the legacy of Apollo is also the example of the brave astronauts who carried out those risky, challenging missions. Let us all honor the unforgettable accomplishments of the crew of Apollo 11: Mission Commander Neil Armstrong, Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin, and Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, who participated in the first expedition to set foot on another celestial body. Their cool bravery and professionalism captured the imagination of the American people, and they remain genuine national heroes 40 years after they returned home from the Moon. Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would again like to recognize and thank Ranking Member Hall for introducing this resolution along with Chairman Bart Gordon, Chairwoman Gabrielle Giffords, and subcommittee Ranking Member Olson. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution. I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include extraneous material on H. Res. 607, the resolution now under consideration.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 607) celebrating the Fortieth Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Chairman, I would first like to commend my good friend from Arizona (Mr. Pastor) for the strong commitment this bill shows toward shoring up both science and the national security of this country. The strong support for the Office of Science will be well received in my home State of New Mexico. I'm seeking the commitment of the gentleman from Arizona to work with me on refurbishing LANSCE, the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. This facility plays a crucial role in providing one-of-a-kind experimental capabilities to further the lab's science mission. In addition, it's a key draw for new scientific talent in Los Alamos National Laboratory and high-tech research into northern New Mexico. The capabilities resident within the LANSCE facility cannot be duplicated in a cost- effective manner anywhere else in the country. The investment in the capabilities the refurbishment will sustain will pay for itself many times over. I yield to Mr. Pastor.

Mr. LUJAN. Mr. Chairman, again, I would like to commend my friend, the gentleman from Arizona for this legislation, and I thank him for his willingness to work with me on this important issue.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to be present for rollcall Vote No. 488. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Our country's dependence on foreign oils threatens our economy and security. We need to take bold steps to become energy independent by growing a new energy economy. Comprehensive energy reform will reduce our dependence on foreign oil, making us more secure as a Nation. The energy bill we consider today will also create clean-energy jobs, inspiring a new economy. As a former utility commissioner, I saw firsthand the positive impact energy reform had on my State of New Mexico. We instituted a renewable energy standard that increased the generation of renewables. We encouraged energy efficiency to reduce costs for homes and businesses. And it's now time to see these steps at a national level. For too long we have accepted the status quo on energy, and now, with the American Clean Energy and Security Act, we can put America on a path to energy independence, make America the global leader in energy technology, cut costly and harmful pollution, create new jobs, and save billions in the long run. I support this rule and urge my colleagues to join us in supporting this rule and this legislation.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, due to scheduling conflicts, I was unable to be present for rollcall vote No. 431. Had I been present, I would have voted ``no.''

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. Madam Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce a bill to authorize the seven National Environmental Research Parks (NERPs) at Department of Energy (DOE) sites, including the Los Alamos Environmental Research Park in my district. These parks are unique outdoor laboratories that offer secure settings for long-term research on a broad range of subjects including, wildlife biology, ecology, climate change effects, environmental remediation, and maintenance of freshwater ecosystems. The parks also provide rich environments for training future researchers and introducing the public to environmental sciences. They are located within six major ecological regions of the United States which cover more than half of the nation. In the mid-1970s, DOE developed a policy for current and future research parks. The mission of the parks is to: conduct research and education activities to assess and document environmental effects associated with energy and weapons use; explore methods for eliminating or minimizing adverse effects of energy development and nuclear materials on the environment; train people in ecological and environmental sciences; and educate the public. The Parks maintain several long-term data sets that are available nowhere else in the U.S. or in the world on amphibian populations, bird populations, and soil moisture and plant water stress. These data are uniquely valuable for understanding wildlife biology, ecology, and for the detection of long- term shifts in climate. The federal government's interest in and need for ecological research evolved after World War II as we sought security and safety by producing nuclear weapons in isolated regions surrounded by large buffer zones of undeveloped land. DOE's predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, AEC, recognized a need to track both radioactive fallout from the testing of nuclear weapons and inadvertent radioactive releases from nuclear weapons production facilities into the environment. Out of the radionuclide research grew new technologies for quantifying the movement of natural materials such as nutrients and fluids and of introduced pollutants through the ecosystem. The maintenance of the Parks by DOE conforms with statutory obligations to promote sound environmental stewardship of federal lands and to safeguard sites containing cultural and archeological resources. In 1972 AEC established the first NERP at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. The plan for a research park emerged during a formal review of the environmental research activities at Savannah River. The review team consisted of scientists, representatives from other Federal agencies, and members of the newly formed President's Council on Environmental Quality. The Los Alamos NERP was designated in 1973. Its 40 square miles include the entire site of Los Alamos National Laboratory and a landscape of canyons, mesas, mountains, and the Rio Grande providing a diverse range of ecosystems to explore. The Park's ongoing environmental studies include: interaction between its local ecosystems and the hydrologic cycle; contaminant transport; elk, deer, and raptor population dynamics; landfill cap performance; woodland productivity; and long-term data sets developed to monitor climate change effects, soil moisture, and fire ecology providing valuable baseline reference information. Over 125 publications related to the ecology and interaction between lab operations and the environment have been written about Los Alamos and the Pajarito Plateau it rests on. The National Environmental Research Parks have been conducting critical activities for our nation and the world's environmental research portfolio for decades. They are one of our nation's most valuable environmental research assets, and it is time for them to be recognized in law and explicitly provided the resources they need to continue their valuable work. This legislation offers guidance for the Parks' research and monitoring programs as well as their education and outreach activities, and it authorizes a small amount of core funding needed to support their important work. I look forward to working with my colleagues in both parties and both Chambers of Congress to bring this bill to the President's desk as soon as possible.

Mr. LUJAN

Mr. LUJAN. We saw what resulted after the adoption of the act in 1990. The economy actually increased from about 5.4 percent. We saw growth in the economy. We saw utility companies making wise decisions in investments and creating jobs.

Mr. LUJAN. Representative Tonko, thank you very much. It's very good to be here with a few of my friends this evening as we get a chance to talk to our constituency, our colleagues and maybe share some new ideas, maybe talk about some old ideas. As we've heard from my good friend from Virginia (Mr. Connolly), he talked a little bit about the act that was adopted in 1990, the Clean Air Act, which was strangely in response to a campaign pledge from a Republican President that we had. This was a campaign pledge that was made during the 1988 election. We hear sometimes from some of our colleagues that the idea of a cap-and- trade system is this new idea, that this is something that hasn't been talked about ever before. Well, when you go back to what the American people were hearing back in 1988 and after the adoption of the Clean Air Act in 1990, what we heard from our Republican presidential candidate at the time was that there was a pledge to curb acid rain, and it could be fulfilled with the world's first emissions cap-and- trade system. And that resulted in what we now know to be the address that we moved forward with, the address to clean up acid rain. What's interesting with that is we're reminded by our friend Mr. Fred Krupp that within 5 years, the U.S. utilities cut emissions 30 percent more than the law required. They went over and beyond what was required from them because it made sense. But not only did it make sense, they found a way to utilize this to generate revenue. Even while increasing electricity generation from coal by 6.8 percent and reducing retail electricity prices, during that same period the U.S. economy grew by a healthy 5.4 percent. Even though there were dire predictions that the program would eventually cost more than $6 billion a year, it was less, 30 percent less, between $1.1 and $1.8 billion. This was all in response to making sure that we were able to go out and address some of the concerns with some of our lakes and some of our rivers and our streams and our national parks. I have a lot of friends back home that like to fish, and I know that we all have a lot of constituents that are outdoors people, that depend on being able to go out and take their kids out to show them what the outdoors is all about. The enactment of the legislation in 1990 was a direct result from being able to protect some of these things, but we have to look a little further back when we talk about history. In 1977 under another Republican administration, when we talk about the Clean Air Act being put together, under two Republican administrations where we saw people working together, where we as a Congress could come together and reach across the aisle and work with the President to do what was right. And as we hear from our friend, Mr. Schauer from Michigan, we talk about the importance of job creation. Comprehensive energy reform, there's no doubt that it will create millions of jobs, millions of clean energy jobs, many in New Mexico, many in Michigan and Virginia, New York, the Midwest, the South, the East and the West, throughout the United States. And this has been an area where we've always led, and there's no reason we can't take advantage of moving forward strong policy to create good jobs that will make a difference. I would like to point us to something that China is doing. We heard from my friend Mr. Connolly about this. Doing nothing means that we fall further behind China and Europe and even Japan and Germany as we talk about the progress that they've made in this specific area. But China alone is investing $12.6 billion in a clean energy economy every hour. Nearly 40 percent of China's proposed $586 billion stimulus plan, $221 billion over 2 years, is for clean energy investments, including an advanced electric grid. We hear about what China's doing and India's doing. Well, they're investing in this area. And if we, as a country, don't get ahead of this and create jobs and make investments in clean energy and do what's right for the American people, we're going to fall behind, and we can't afford to do that. I look forward to being here this evening and visiting with our friends as we get a chance to talk a little bit more about the benefits, about the positive things we can do and the importance of coming together, as was done in 1990, as was done in 1977, to make sure that we're able to pass and adopt responsible legislation that will make a difference for the American people and for this great Nation of ours. Thank you very much, Mr. Tonko.

Mr. LUJAN. Absolutely, Mr. Connolly.