This will lead to greater amounts of renewable energy than if the Bingaman proposal preempted state opportunities to promote renewable energy.

Thank you for your attention to H.R. 934, a bill that conveys certain submerged lands to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), which I introduced on February 10, 2009.

The CNMI is the only U.S. jurisdiction that does not have ownership of the submerged lands three miles off its shores.

I wanted to preserve the terms and conditions that were negotiated between the CNMI government and the federal government under the Proclamation while, at the same time, gaining control of the submerged lands around the Mariana Islands.

If enacted, the majority staff draft circulated by the Committee would be a landmark step in the development of the United States' renewable energy economy.

The Bingaman RPS proposal would establish a national renewable energy floor but allow states to exceed that floor if they so choose.

FFP applauds the Committee for advancing the discussion of a national RES, which FFP wholeheartedly supports.

A Federal RPS proposal, such as that proposed by Senator Bingaman, could easily increase rates in the Southeast by 5 to 6%.

Marine and hydrokinetic renewable energy is defined in the Tax Code, 26 U.S.C. Sec. 45.

I'm here, obviously perhaps, to urge the support and the passage of a national RPS.

This is, in my view, a national security imperative, that we find ways, and start planning for that time in the future.

The RPS has been estimated to create, if passed in its current form as proposed, 185,000 new jobs, $66 billion in new investment.

It's time that we finally pass this provision in both houses and include it in legislation that we send to the President.

The renewable standard can reduce our dependence on fossil fuel sources, can reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants.

I commend you for this important legislation.

This is not the sole solution to global--to climate change and to carbon, but it is a major component to it.

Well obviously at least it strikes me at first impression that we ought to be requiring that they do measure those types of issues.

We ought to be requiring that they do adopt these best practices where there's general agreement that these are best practices.