On the recordMarch 5, 2014
To conclude, I would point out to my friends on the other side of the aisle there has been a lot of discussion today about the availability of carbon capture and sequestration. Let's not forget that the Energy Policy Act of 2005 said: Emission standards will not be set by plants receiving funds from the Clean Energy Initiative at the Department of Energy. To my friend from the west coast, it is costing $5 billion, and the president of the Southern Company said: This plant cannot be consistently replicated on a national level and cannot be the primary basis for new emission standards. That is because they are artificially concocted. So our legislation simply says, in the future, if natural gas prices go up, America, like most every other country in the world, will have the option of building a new coal-powered plant. I think it is a reasonable approach. It has bipartisan support. This is the first time that we have been able to have a national debate with this President, who has already made up his mind he does not want coal for America. This is our opportunity to express the opinion of the American people that we need coal moving into the future. I would urge the adoption of H.R. 3826, and I yield back the balance of my time.
