Arlen Specter: “I seek recognition first to thank Senator Byrd, the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Interior…”

“I seek recognition first to thank Senator Byrd, the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its Interior Subcommittee and the Subcommittee Ranking Republican, Senator Burns, for their efforts in drafting the fiscal year 2003 spending plan for the agencies under their jurisdiction. Also, I want to call attention in particular to two competitively awarded initiatives that, unfortunately, the annual Department of Energy, DOE, budget submission routinely underfunds and expects Congress to correct. First, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and its partners, DOE, Ceramatec, ChevronTexaco, Eltron Research, McDermott Technology and Concepts NREC, are developing a unique, oxygen-producing technology based on high-temperature, ion transport membranes, ITM. The technology, ITM Oxygen, would be combined with an Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle, IGCC, system to produce oxygen and electric power for the iron/steel, nonferrous metals, glass, pulp and paper, cogeneration, and chemicals and refining industries.”