Mark Udall: “let me just begin by thanking the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) for…”

“let me just begin by thanking the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Combest) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Stenholm) for their work on this important measure. I want to remember my friend Lou Entz from Colorado, who suggested in the spirit of this legislation that if you eat, you are involved in agriculture, and those of us that live in suburban districts need to remember that. But let me talk about title IV, the Biomass Research and Development Act. Last year the gentleman from New York (Mr. Boehlert) and the gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Minge) joined me in introducing the House version of this legislation. We were joined shortly thereafter by the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Ewing), who introduced his own version of the legislation. The two bills had much in common. Both recognized the increased contribution that biobased industrial products can make to our economy, if and only if appropriate research was put into place. Both realized the increased need for cooperation among the Departments of Energy and Agriculture and the private sector in conducting the research and ensuring it leads to new product and new jobs. Both recognized the importance of the conversion of cellulosic biomass, which consists of any plant or plant product. Cellulosic conversion is particularly important to the State of Colorado because of the potential threat of wildfires.”