Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006

DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2006 -- (House of Representatives - June 23, 2005)

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Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Chairman, I move to strike the last word.

Mr. Chairman, in 1992 this Congress passed the Energy Policy Act of 1992. In that act was a requirement that all Federal agencies have to make sure that 75 percent of all vehicles they purchase each year are alternatively fueled vehicles. These vehicles run on ethanol or biodiesel or other alternatives fuels. However, very few agencies are actually meeting this requirement. In fact, highlighted in a recent lawsuit, the Federal Government was found not to be in compliance with the act, but no agency did worse than the Department of Labor last year. The Department of Labor was only able to achieve a 19 percent goal.

The goal of EPAct was to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by 30 percent by 2010. The department only purchased 5,000 gallons of E85 and 200 gallons of biodiesel, yet it purchased over 5.3 million gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel. Not only is this bad in terms of helping us reduce our dependence on foreign oil, it is also a bad fiscal move as E85 is selling for less than regular gasoline in many areas of the country.

Mr. Chairman, it is my hope that when this bill is in conference, some language can be added that will encourage the department to do a better job at meeting the requirements set forth by Congress to help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. How can we expect the average consumer to reduce oil use when we cannot even get our own Federal agencies to take the steps necessary to make our Nation more secure?

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