Political Quotes

“Senator Gordon Smith and I would like to discuss an important element of the Department of Energy's Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Infrastructure Program. This program is preparing the country for the next energy revolution--what many refer to as the ``hydrogen economy.'' It will establish an energy infrastructure for America based on abundant and domestically produced hydrogen, which will be used to fuel our powerplants, our homes, and our automobiles. The Senator's leadership, and that of the Congress as a whole, has strengthened the program over the past few years. However, there is one area on which the House and Senate have not yet achieved a consensus, an area that Senator Smith and I believe is important for establishing one early element of the hydrogen economy. I am referring to fuel cells, and specifically the Proton Exchange Membrane, or P-E-M fuel cell. Is the Senator aware that this technology is being developed by American companies for widespread applications, including homes and automobiles, but that before it may be used broadly in these applications, the fuel cell must be greatly improved and made affordable?”