Fred Upton

Mr. UPTON

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

Mr. UPTON

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on H.R. 627.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 627, is an important bill that would help the Nation's schools make use of existing Federal programs to actually reduce their energy use. There currently are a number of such programs that help schools undertake projects that improve energy efficiency. Unfortunately, school districts don't always have the know- how to navigate the complexities of the Federal system and take full advantage of these programs. The bill creates a simple one-stop shop to get all the needed information and help school districts participate more fully in these programs. The bottom line is that the Nation's schools will, in fact, reduce their energy costs. As it is, energy use in American K-12 schools totals $6 billion every year, and reducing this figure can certainly save taxpayer dollars or free up funds that schools can use on things other than energy bills. This bill, H.R. 627, has no cost since it merely sets up a system under which existing school energy efficiency programs can work better. A similar bill was passed under suspension of the rules at the end of the last Congress, and I would hope that we can do it today, at the beginning of this Congress, so that the Senate can follow suit and get this to the President's desk. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to support this great, bipartisan bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx).

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 951) to extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 951, introduced by the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx), the distinguished chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee, authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to extend up to 6 years the time period during which construction must commence on the W. Kerr Scott Hydropower Project located on the Yadkin River in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Additionally, FERC may reinstate the construction license if it is expired. A similar bill was passed under suspension in the last Congress, and I hope that we can pass it again today, urging the Senate to take this legislation up. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, this is important legislation, and I would like to think that we can pass it again this afternoon. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 1109) to amend section 203 of the Federal Power Act.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 1109, is, again, a bipartisan bill introduced by the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg). It was reported by unanimous consent from the Energy and Commerce Committee. It amends the Federal Power Act with respect to the prohibition regarding mergers or consolidations by a public utility. Any merger or consolidation of a public utility whose value exceeds $10 million must first be authorized by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. In addition, FERC is required to promulgate a rule within 180 days that mandates any public utility seeking to merge or consolidate to notify FERC within 30 days of transaction consummation if the value of such merger or consolidation exceeds $1 million but, in fact, is less than $10 million. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Walberg), the author of the legislation.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 2274, was introduced by the gentleman from California (Mr. Peters), and it was passed by unanimous consent by the Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill, H.R. 2274, amends the Federal Power Act to allow the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, to extend periods relating to preliminary permits and commencement of construction of hydroelectric projects. This bill is a commonsense bill, bipartisan, and I would hope that all Members would join me in supporting it. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I would urge my colleagues to vote for this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2122) to reinstate and extend the deadline for commencement of construction of a hydroelectric project involving Jennings Randolph Dam.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and insert extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, this bill, H.R. 2122, was introduced by the gentleman from West Virginia (Mr. McKinley), and it authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, upon request, to extend by 6 years the time period during which construction must commence on the Jennings Randolph Hydroelectric Project, which is located on the North Branch of the Potomac River in Garrett County, Maryland, and Mineral County, West Virginia. Additionally, FERC may reinstate the construction license if it has expired. A similar bill passed under suspension in the 114th Congress, so I hope that we can pass it again today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I have no further speakers, so I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. UPTON

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Faso).

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 2292) to extend a project of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission involving the Cannonsville Dam.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to include any extraneous material in the Record on the bill.

Mr. UPTON. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. This bill, H.R. 2292, was introduced by Mr. Faso from New York, and the bill authorizes the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, FERC, upon request, to extend by 8 years the time period during which construction must commence on the Cannonsville hydroelectric project-- which is located on the west branch of the Delaware River in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. The city of New York was granted a construction license for the Cannonsville hydroelectric project on May 13, 2014. Additionally, FERC may reinstate the construction license if it is expired. The bill was reported by unanimous consent from the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I support its passage on the floor today. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.