Advanced Vehicle Technology Act Of 2009

Floor Speech

Advanced Vehicle Technology Act Of 2009

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Mr. MASSA. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The importance of this bill and the support for critical new vehicle technologies in the United States simply cannot be overstated. The future of the American automobile industry and its accompanying tens of thousands of American jobs rest on the ability of domestic car companies to research, develop and commercialize new, clean, efficient technologies that will be the backbone of a new U.S. vehicle market in the future and for future generations.

We have achieved many breakthroughs in advanced vehicle technologies; and I am certain with the continued support from Congress and the American people, this progress will continue. Taking these breakthroughs from research to reality, however, has been an ongoing challenge for American innovators. Facing many barriers that prevent breaking new technologies getting to the marketplace, automobile companies have always had challenges commercializing advanced vehicles to help reduce our Nation's dangerous, if not critically dangerous, dependence on foreign oil, should I say hostile foreign oil.

Much of the focus of the past efforts by the Federal Government has been on the research side. With this amendment, the equally important commercialization part will now receive attention.

My amendment will help change this emphasizing the importance of those barriers to commercialization and by supporting new ways to help our domestic car companies bring advanced vehicle technologies online. Beyond support for research and development, we must follow through completely on our obligations to the American people to develop real solutions to our growing energy crisis. We cannot be satisfied with abandoning new technologies every time they leave the laboratory. We must help our automobile makers carry these technologies across the finish line or face the alternative as we have in the past and seen time and time again where U.S. innovation and research is picked up and developed by foreign competitors. Thus, we lose our market share and advantage in the marketplace.

To support true, real change and to bring about a serious new change for new generations of advanced technology vehicles in the United States, we must focus on basic research and on public-private partnerships that utilize the expertise of industry to conquer the many impediments to commercializing these promising new technologies.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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