PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF SENATE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 6, ENERGY INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY ACT OF 2007 (House of Representatives - December 06, 2007)
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Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the rule and this historic bill's commitment to clean, renewable energy and its positive impact on strengthening our national security and our economic prosperity.
One of the most important aspects of this bill is the appropriately aggressive renewable fuels standard it contains, which builds upon the first renewable fuel standard passed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which I supported. And it recognizes the contributions that rural America is ready, willing and able to make toward meeting our Nation's energy needs.
Like many of my fellow South Dakotans, like so many Americans, I strongly support expanding our commitment to the production and use of renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel. This legislation will mandate that we produce at least 36 billion gallons of renewable fuels in this country by the year 2022, and 1 billion gallons of biodiesel by 2012.
For the past 2 1/2 years we have seen how the first renewable fuel standard, an initial step forward reforming our Nation's approach to energy production, has resulted in tremendous technological change and tremendous opportunities. The new RFS will continue to drive the development of new and efficient processes to turn rural America's natural abundance into energy.
I urge my colleagues to support this rule and this bill, in large measure because of this renewable fuel standard which reflects a compromise with the Senate that improves the structure of the standard, while retaining the overall volume and schedule of the Senate bill. The RFS contained in the provisions we consider now include a 9 billion gallon requirement of conventional biofuels in 2008 to address the serious circumstances faced by the industry today. It accelerates to 2009 and 2010 the start dates for advanced and cellulosic biofuels and their significant
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greenhouse gas reductions. It increases the total overall mandates in the intervening years, through 2016; and, importantly, it includes specific targets for biodiesel.
Again, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the rule and to support this historic legislation.
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