Tom Udall: “I want to begin by taking the time to congratulate Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz for her excellent work on this bill as…”

“I want to begin by taking the time to congratulate Chairwoman Wasserman Schultz for her excellent work on this bill as well as in the subcommittee the past couple of months. It has been a pleasure to work with you and I look forward to working with all other Members as we continue to address the concerns of all people working in and visiting the Nation's Capitol. I would also like to commend Ranking Member Wamp for his work. Together the chairwoman and ranking member have fostered a collegial bipartisan atmosphere. The bill before us is a good bill, a bill that brings us necessary security upgrades, that shows a commitment to increased oversight, and does it in a fiscally responsible manner. Among the bill's many important provisions is funding for the Greening the Capitol Initiative. This initiative will enable us to start switching from coal to cleaner burning natural gas for the running of the Capitol powerplant. Pages live in the shadow of the Capitol powerplant. It will allow us to purchase energy efficient light bulbs, and will allow us to begin other energy savings operations throughout the Capitol Complex. The bill includes necessary funding for the Office of Compliance, which will allow that office to conduct oversight of the utility tunnel improvement efforts and health and safety issues.”