For Immediate Release:                                     Contact: Lisa Wright or Henry Blue at
October 22, 2009                                              202-225-2721 or lisa.wright@mail.house.gov

Congressman Bartlett Applauds House Approval of Nonpartisan Solar Technology Roadmap Act

Washington, DC -- Congressman Bartlett applauded the approval by the House of Representative of the “Solar Technology Roadmap Act,” H.R. 3585. Congressman Bartlett said, “This bill ensures that solar energy technologies will contribute to strengthening our country’s economy, environment and national security.” The bill was approved by a bipartisan vote of 310 to 106.  A copy of Rep. Bartlett’s prepared remarks for the House debate is attached. 

 Congressman Bartlett was involved in strengthening the bill throughout its creation in his capacity as a senior member of the Committee on Science and Technology and its Subcommittee on Energy and Environment.  Congressman Bartlett also contributed a key provision in the manager’s amendment during floor consideration by the full House of Representatives. 

Congressman Bartlett said that, “One of the great improvements this bill would make to the current Department of Energy solar energy research and development programs is the creation of a requirement for merit-based competitive allocation of federal funds. The bill also establishes a formal advisory committee to the Department of Energy. The Solar Technology Roadmap Committee will include experts drawn from our national labs, universities, industry and entrepreneurs on technological paths to accelerate cost-effective implementation of solar power in the United States. One of the changes that I insisted upon is that members of the Solar Roadmap Committee will neither recommend nor select recipients of federal grant awards.

Rep. Bartlett’s contributions during every stage of the legislative process include:

► Continuation of the Direct Solar Pipe Day lighting research and development program, Sec. 605 that was created under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA). Direct Solar Pipe Day lighting utilizes the power of sunlight to illuminate the interiors of buildings without electricity. It promises to provide an important alternative to traditional power generation for lighting that promotes greater energy conservation and improved efficiency year-round.

► Continuation of the Solar Air Conditioning research and development program,  Sec. 606 that was created under the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007(EISA). The program supports the development of more reliable, decentralized, distributed, and more cost-effective solar-powered air conditioning for individuals and businesses. Solar powered AC will reduce peak load electricity demands and contribute to greater resilience of our electrical grid.

► An increase in the number of large, technology neutral, solar energy demonstration projects (those over 30 megawatts) to at least three and no more than five, increasing the opportunities for energy technology innovation.

► The addition of a requirement that demonstration projects “promote overall electric infrastructure, reliability, and sustainability should grid functions be disrupted or damaged.”

► The addition of guidance in the report accompanying the bill maximizes benefits to society and taxpayers from these demonstration projects.  The Department of Energy is encouraged to consult with the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and other agencies to locate demonstration projects at facilities that ensure sustainable energy for continuous operations of vital government missions and functions, thereby reducing our vulnerability to electricity disruptions to critical sites and vital missions in the event of natural disaster or deliberate attack.

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett
Floor Statement
General Debate on H. R. 3585
U.S. House of Representatives
October 21, 2009

“Thank you, Madam/Mr. Speaker. I recommend a yes vote for this good, nonpartisan Solar Technology Roadmap Act.

“I want to thank my Democratic and Republican colleagues for their collaboration that improved H. R. 3585 with amendments in subcommittee, full committee as well as the manager’s amendment.  This bill ensures that solar energy technologies will contribute to strengthening our country’s economy, environment and national security.

“H. R. 3585 improves DOE policies by requiring merit-based competitive allocation of federal funds. The Solar Roadmap Committee will neither recommend nor select recipients of grant awards. The new Solar Technology Roadmap Committee will provide DOE with advice from our national labs, universities, industry and entrepreneurs on technological paths to accelerate cost-effective implementation of solar power.

“I am a fiscal conservative as well as a scientist and engineer. I have studied and used solar power for 40 years. This bill will not spend too much money. GAO has documented that the funding level in this bill only begins to reverse 20 years of underinvestment by the federal government in research and development of solar power, a domestic alternative and renewable source of energy.

“This bill will strengthen the ability of U.S. companies to regain America’s world leadership in solar technology and exports. The bill expands the number of large demonstration projects over 30 megawatts and makes them technology neutral. The bill will reduce known vulnerabilities of our grid to natural disasters or terrorist attacks by requiring demonstration projects to ‘promote overall electric infrastructure reliability and sustainability should grid functions be disrupted or damaged.’

“This bill will also maximize benefits to society and taxpayers from these demonstration projects by encouraging DOE to consult with DHS, DOD and other agencies to locate demonstration projects at facilities that ensure sustainable energy for continuous operations of vital government missions and functions.

“Vote yes for H. R. 3585, the Solar Technology Roadmap Act. Using our sun to power American homes and businesses is a non-partisan issue.”

Congressman Bartlett’s Energy Legislation in the 111^th

Congressman Bartlett introduces Flex Fuel Car legislation

Legislation from the 110th Congress...
HR 5984, Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008

            The Clean Energy Tax Stimulus Act of 2008 would provide for the limited continuation of clean energy production incentives and incentives to improve energy efficiency that would otherwise lapse under current tax law.  The continuation will prevent a downturn in clean and renewable energy sectors, create jobs, save people and businesses money, and over time reduce energy costs.  It is estimated that consumers could save up to $500 on their taxes if they install energy efficient products in their homes that can also help them reduce their heating and cooling costs by 20 percent.

     Specifically, the bill would extend critical tax incentives such as, the production tax credit for electricity produced from renewable sources like wind, biomass, hydropower, and geothermal; and the 30 percent investment credit for businesses that install solar or fuel cell equipment.  In addition, it extends a set of effective energy efficiency programs that give homeowners tax credits for installing energy efficient furnaces, windows and insulation to make their homes more efficient; that enable builders a tax deduction for going the extra mile and building more energy efficient new homes; that help businesses make energy efficient improvements to commercial buildings; and that encourage appliance manufacturers to produce the next generation of energy saving appliances.

 H.RES. 12, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States, in collaboration with other international allies, should establish an energy project with the magnitude, creativity, and sense of urgency that was incorporated in the “Man on the Moon” project address the inevitable challenges of “Peak Oil.”

HR 76, To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to quadruple the annual number of vehicles for which the alternative motor vehicle credit is allowed.

 HR 80, Self-Powered Farm Energy Bill, to provide for Federal research, development, demonstration, and commercial application activities to enable the development of farms that are net producers of both food and energy.  

Other Energy legislation Co-sponsored by Congressman Bartlett

 H.CON. RES. 153, Expressing the sense of the Congress regarding the need for a nationwide diversified energy portfolio.

 H. RES. 987, Encouraging Americans to join others across the country in using their rebate checks to invest in renewable energy and energy-efficient products and services in order to save money, stimulate the economy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 H.R. 6, The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, Omnibus energy legislation. 

 H.R. 197, To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a 5-year extension of the credit for electricity produced from certain renewable resources.

 H.R. 364, To provide for the establishment of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.

H.R. 539, Building for the 21^st Century Act

H.R. 550, Securing America’s Energy Independence Act of 2007

H.R. 656, To require higher standards of automobile fuel efficiency with the goal of reducing the amount of oil used for fuel by automobiles in the United States by 10 percent beginning in 2017.

H.R. 670, DRIVE Act, To promote the national security and stability of the United States economy by reducing the dependence of the United States on foreign oil through the use of alternative fuels and new vehicle technologies, and for other purposes.

H.R. 729, Home Energy Generation Act

H.R. 1400, Iran Counter-Proliferation Act of 2007

H.R. 1506, Fuel Economy Reform Act

H.R. 1766, Chesapeake’s Healthy and Environmentally Sound Stewardship of Energy and Agriculture Act of 2007

H.R. 1772, Rural Wind Energy Development Act

H.R. 2227, America COMPETES Act

H.R. 2347, Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2007

H.R. 2493, Boutique Fuel Reductions Act of 2007

H.R. 2698, Federal Aviation Research and Development Reauthorization Act of 2007

H.R. 2774, Solar Energy Research and Advancement Act of 2007  This bill was generally incorporated in H.R. 3221, Division A, the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act.

H.R. 2850, Green Chemistry Research and Development Act of 2007

H.R. 2927, To increase the corporate average fuel economy standards for automobiles, to promote the domestic development and production of advanced technology vehicles.

H.R. 3497, STATE Act

H.R. 4847, United States Fire Administration Reauthorization Act of 2008

H.R. 5473, Strategic Petroleum Reserve Fill Suspension and Consumer Protection Act of 2008

H.R. 6022, Suspend shipments to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for calendar year 2008.  Passed by the House May 13, 2008.  Shipments will only resume if the prices falls below $75/barrel for 90 days.  “Congress can not wave a magic wand and suspend the laws of supply and demand.  Forty months of stagnant world oil production and rising demand, primarily from China and India and other Asian nations, are the reason why prices for oil, gasoline and diesel have risen so high.  There are no silver bullet solutions, but one thing that the federal government can do to help reduce demand, and hopefully prices, is to temporarily suspend purchases of oil for deposits into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.”